Apparatus and method for providing a generic interface between a host system and an asynchronous transfer mode core functional block
First Claim
1. A method for coordinating data transfer between a System Input/Output (IO) functional block and an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) functional block, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first signal from the ATM functional block to the System IO functional block, for requesting the reading of data from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block;
(b) providing locational information related to the data to be transferred, from the ATM functional block to the System IO functional block; and
(c) providing a second signal from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block, for acknowledging the request for reading of data, step (b) being independent from step (c),wherein the System IO functional block is synchronous to a first clock, the ATM functional block is synchronous to a second clock which has a clock rate that is different from the clock rate of the first clock and wherein the first and second signals are synchronous to the second clock.
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Abstract
A generic Input/Output interface between an IO block and a System and ATM Layer Core on a network interface circuit is provided. The GIO interface includes parallel DMA read and write control handshake signal lines; parallel DMA read and write data handshake signal lines which operate independently from the read and write control handshake signal lines; parallel DMA read and write data signal lines; and a single clock signal line. GIO interface facilitates maximum utilization of the IO bandwidth, and allows several requests to be queued across the GIO interface at the same time, in each read and write direction. In addition, the GIO interface utilizes a fixed clock for driving the transmit and receive data path. By thus referencing all transactions to a clock driving the Core, the Core remains unchanged for different embodiments of the network interface circuit which interface to different host computer systems and busses.
71 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for coordinating data transfer between a System Input/Output (IO) functional block and an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) functional block, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a first signal from the ATM functional block to the System IO functional block, for requesting the reading of data from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block; (b) providing locational information related to the data to be transferred, from the ATM functional block to the System IO functional block; and (c) providing a second signal from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block, for acknowledging the request for reading of data, step (b) being independent from step (c), wherein the System IO functional block is synchronous to a first clock, the ATM functional block is synchronous to a second clock which has a clock rate that is different from the clock rate of the first clock and wherein the first and second signals are synchronous to the second clock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An interface for transferring data, comprising:
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a System IO functional block having a first buffer and a second buffer; an ATM functional block which provides a first signal to the System IO functional block, for requesting the reading of data from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block, the ATM functional block also providing locational information related to the data to be transferred to the System IO functional block; and the System IO functional block providing a second signal to the ATM functional block, for acknowledging the request for reading of data, wherein locational information is provided independently from provision of the second signal, wherein the Svstem IO functional block is synchronous to a first clock, the ATM functional block is synchronous to a second clock which has a clock rate that is different from the clock rate of the first clock and wherein the first and second signals are synchronous to the second clock. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A System for transferring data in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network, comprising:
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a host processor; a memory coupled to the host processor; a System input/output bus coupled to the host processor; and an interface comprising; a System IO functional block coupled to the System input/output bus, the System IO functional block having a first buffer and a second buffer; an ATM functional block coupled to the System IO functional block, the ATM functional block providing a first signal to the System 10 functional block, for requesting the reading of data from the System IO functional block to the ATM functional block, the ATM functional block also providing locational information related to the data to be transferred to the System IO functional block; and the System IO functional block providing a second signal to the ATM functional block, for acknowledging the request for reading of data, wherein locational information is provided independently from provision of the second signal, wherein the System IO functional block is synchronous to a first clock, the ATM functional block is synchronous to a second clock which has a clock rate that is different from the clock rate of the first clock and wherein the first and second signals are synchronous to the second clock. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification