Method and an arrangement for handshaking on a bus to transfer information between devices in a computer system
First Claim
1. A computer system comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU);
a master coupled to the CPU;
a plurality of interface cards that interface the computer system with peripheral devices;
a plurality of host adapters coupled between the master and the interface cards, the host adapters adapting signals between the CPU and the interface cards, each host adapter generating a ready signal that when asserted indicates at least one of readiness of the host adapter to receive address information from the master and to have data information read by the master;
an address/data bus coupled between the master and the host adapters;
plurality of ready lines, each coupled between a corresponding one of the host adapters and the master, each ready line carrying the ready signal from the corresponding host adapter to the master.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system is provided with a central processing unit (CPU), a bus master coupled to the CPU, and a plurality of interface cards that interface the computer system with peripheral devices. A plurality of host adapters are coupled between the bus master and the interface cards. The host adapters adapt signals between the CPU and the interface cards. Each host adapter generates a ready signal that when asserted indicates readiness of the host adapter to receive address information from the bus master and have data information read by the bus master. An address/data bus is coupled between the bus master and the host adapters. A single separate ready line is coupled between each of the host adapters and the bus master, each ready line carrying the ready signal from a different one of the host adapters to the bus master. The single ready signal carried by a single line serves both an address ready and a data ready signalling function, to thereby, reduce the pin count in the host adapter serving as a slave.
49 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A computer system comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); a master coupled to the CPU; a plurality of interface cards that interface the computer system with peripheral devices; a plurality of host adapters coupled between the master and the interface cards, the host adapters adapting signals between the CPU and the interface cards, each host adapter generating a ready signal that when asserted indicates at least one of readiness of the host adapter to receive address information from the master and to have data information read by the master; an address/data bus coupled between the master and the host adapters; plurality of ready lines, each coupled between a corresponding one of the host adapters and the master, each ready line carrying the ready signal from the corresponding host adapter to the master. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A host adapter for adapting signals between an input/output (I/O) device interface and a computer system, comprising:
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means for adapting address and data signals between the I/O device interface and the computer system; and means for producing a single ready signal that indicates readiness of the host adapter to receive address information and to have data information read. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 23)
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17. A method of transferring information between a master and a slave, the method comprising:
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producing a single ready signal at the slave that indicates at least one of readiness of the slave to receive address information and readiness of the slave to have data information read; and sending the address information to the slave from the master to initiate a transfer when the ready signal indicates that the slave is ready to receive the address information; and subsequently reading the data information from the slave by the master when the ready signal indicates that data information is ready to be read from the slave by the master. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24)
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Specification