Architecture converter for slave elements

• US 5,043,877 A
• Filed: 10/12/1990
• Issued: 08/27/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berger, Erwin R., Olnowich, Howard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Michael R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAUSER, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/596,836
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/228, 364/260, 364/260.1, 364/900
• US Class Current: 710/110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring data between a computer system having a first architecture and a slave element having a second architecture. The apparatus includes a first connector corresponding to the first architecture, a second connector corresponding to the second architecture, and conversion circuitry located between the first connector and the second connector. The conversion circuitry converts signals corresponding to the first architecture to signals corresponding to the second architecture and signals corresponding to the second architecture to signals corresponding to the first architecture.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring data between a computer system having a first bus architecture having first data information, first address information and first control information and a slave element having a second bus architecture having second data information, second address information and second control information, the second bus architecture being different from the first bus architecture, comprising

a first connector corresponding to said first bus architecture,

a second connector corresponding to said second bus architecture, and

conversion circuitry electrically connected between said first connector and said second connector,

said conversion circuitry including means for converting the first data, address and control information to the second data, address and control information, and

said conversion circuitry including means for converting the second data, address and control information to the first data, address and control information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

identification circuitry electrically connected to said first connector,

said identification circuitry including means for identifying said apparatus to said first architecture.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein

said conversion circuitry includes said identification circuitry.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein

said identification circuitry includes means for allowing said slave element to provide slave element identification information to said computer system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

said first address information includes a plurality of first address bits and first byte enable signals,

said second address information includes a plurality of second address bits,

there are more second address bits than first address bits, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for providing said second address bits using said first address bits and said first byte enable signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein

said first address information includes 30 first address bits,

said second address information includes 32 second address bits, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for providing said 32 second address bits using said 30 first address bits and said first byte enable signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein

said first byte enable signals are used to provide the two least significant bits of said 32 second address bits.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein

bits 2 to 23 of said first address bits are active high digital signals,

bits 24 to 31 of said first address bits are active low digital signals, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for converting all said first address bits to active high second address bits.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

said conversion circuitry includes means for receiving said first address information and said first data information from said first connector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein

said first address information includes slot specific address information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein

said slot specific address information includes

first slot specific address information,

said first slot specific address information being manipulated by said conversion circuitry to correspond to said second address information, and

second slot specific address information,

said second slot specific address information corresponding to said second address information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein

particular bits of said slot specific address information are decoded to determine whether said slot specific address information is first slot specific address information or second slot specific address information.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein

said first address information includes first general input/output information,

said first general input/output information having a first range,

said second address information includes second general input/output information,

said second general input/output information having a second range, said second range being larger than said first range, and

said conversion circuitry expands the range of said first general input/output information to correspond to said second general input/output information.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein

said first data information is passed directly to said slave element, and

said second data information is passed directly to said computer system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein

a portion of said first data information is also used by said conversion circuitry to provide identification information to said computer system.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

said first control information includes start information and separate write/read information,

said second control information includes start write information and start read information, and

said conversion circuitry uses said start information and said write/read information to generate said start write information and said start read information.

17. An apparatus for transferring data comprising

system control circuitry,

a bus having a first bus architecture, said first bus architecture having first data information, first address information and first control information,

a slave element having a second bus architecture, said second bus architecture having second data information, second address information and second control information,

said second bus architecture being different from said first bus architecture,

a first connection device corresponding to said first architecture,

said first connection device being electrically connectable to said bus,

a second connection device corresponding to said second architecture,

said second connection device being electrically connectable to said slave element, and

conversion circuitry electrically connected between said first connection device and said second connection device,

said conversion circuitry including means for converting said first data, address and control information to said second data, address and control information, and

said conversion circuitry including means for converting said second data, address and control information to said first data, address and control information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising

identification circuitry electrically connected to said first connector,

said identification circuitry including means for identifying said apparatus to said first architecture.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

said conversion circuitry includes said identification circuitry.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

said identification circuitry includes means for allowing said slave element to provide slave element identification information to said computer system.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein

said first address information includes a plurality of first address bits and first byte enable signals,

said second address information includes a plurality of second address bits,

there are more second address bits than first address bits, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for providing said second address bits using said first address bits and said first byte enable signals.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein

said first address information includes 30 first address bits,

said second address information includes 32 second address bits, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for providing said 32 second address bits using said 30 first address bits and said first byte enable signals.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein

said first byte enable signals are used to provide the two least significant bits of said 32 second address bits.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein

bits 2 to 23 of said first address bits are active high digital signals,

bits 24 to 31 of said first address bits are active low digital signals, and

said conversion circuitry includes means for converting all said first address bits to active high second address bits.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein

said conversion circuitry includes means for receiving said first address information and said first data information from said first connector.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein

said first address information includes slot specific address information.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein

said slot specific address information includes

first slot specific address information,

said first slot specific address information being manipulated by said conversion circuitry to correspond to said second address information, and

second slot specific address information,

said second slot specific address information corresponding to said second address information.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein

particular bits of said slot specific address information are decoded to determine whether said slot specific address information is first slot specific address information or second slot specific address information.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein

said first address information includes first general input/output information,

said first general input/output information having a first range,

said second address information includes second general input/output information,

said second general input/output information having a second range, said second range being larger than said first range, and

said conversion circuitry expands the range of said first general input/output information to correspond to said second general input/output information.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein

said first data information is passed directly to said slave element, and

said second data information is passed directly to said computer system.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein

a portion of said first data information is also used by said conversion circuitry to provide identification information to said computer system.

32. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein

said first control information includes start information and separate write/read information,

said second control information includes start write information and start read information, and

said conversion circuitry uses said start information and said write/read information to generate said start write information and said start read information.

33. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein

said conversion circuitry is directly connected to said computer system.

34. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein

said conversion circuitry is directly connected to said slave element.