PCI bus to IEEE 1394 bus translator

• US 5,953,511 A
• Filed: 04/08/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Sescila, Glen O. III, Schultz, Kevin L., Odom, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN, FRANTZ B
• Application Number:
  US08/835,527
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 395/281, 395/308, 395/309, 395/280
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/404 with address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4059 where the synchronisation uses buffers, e.g. for speed matching between buses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40123 Interconnection of computers and peripherals printer information exchange with computer G06F3/1293

Abstract

A PCI bus to IEEE 1394 bus translator for coupling a PCI device to a host computer via an IEEE 1394 bus. The translator translates addresses of PCI bus cycles initiated by the PCI device into 1394 memory addresses and performs data transfers between the PCI device and host computer by exchanging 1394 request and response packets with the host computer using the translated 1394 memory address. The translator also translates 1394 memory addresses of 1394 request packets received from the host computer into PCI cycle addresses and performs data transfers between the PCI device and host computer by initiating PCI bus cycles targeted at the PCI device using the translated PCI bus cycle addresses. The translator posts data from sequential PCI bus write cycles initiated by the PCI device into a write-posting FIFO until granted ownership of the 1394 bus. The translator combines the PCI write cycle data into a single IEEE 1394 write request packet and transmits the packet on the 1394 bus to the host computer. The translator, if configured to a first mode, pipelines subsequent PCI bus write cycles by posting the PCI write cycle data into the write-posting FIFO once reception of the first 1394 write request packet has been acknowledged by the host computer but prior to the host computer responding with status indicating the completion of the write transaction, in particular whether or not a resource conflict occurred. In response to a PCI read cycle initiated by the PCI device, the translator pre-fetches a larger amount of data than specified in the PCI read cycle from the host computer into a pre-fetch FIFO in order to satisfy subsequent PCI read cycles which are in address sequence with the previous PCI read cycle. The translator pre-fetches more data from the host computer once the pre-fetch FIFO becomes a predetermined amount empty in order to pipeline the consumption of the pre-fetch data by the PCI device and the transmission of the pre-fetch data by the host computer to the translator.

Claims

1. A translator for interfacing between an IEEE 1394 bus and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow a PCI device coupled to the PCI bus to communicate with an IEEE 1394 device coupled to the IEEE 1394 bus, comprising:

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device;

packet receiver logic operable to receive an IEEE 1394 request packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said request packet includes an IEEE 1394 address;

an IEEE 1394 slave coupled to said packet receiver logic operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and translate said IEEE 1394 address into a PCI cycle address; and

a PCI master coupled to said IEEE 1394 slave operable to receive said PCI cycle address and initiate one or more PCI cycles on the PCI bus to the PCI device.

2. The translator of claim 1, wherein said PCI memory cycle is a PCI memory write cycle, wherein said PCI memory write cycle further includes data, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator is operable to receive said data and provide said data to said packet dispatcher logic, wherein said request packet is a write request packet, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to include said data in a data payload portion of said write request packet.

3. The translator of claim 1, wherein the packet receiver logic is operable to receive an IEEE 1394 response packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent by the IEEE 1394 device to the translator in response to said request packet.

4. The translator of claim 3, wherein said PCI memory cycle is a PCI memory read cycle, wherein said request packet is a read request packet, wherein said response packet is a read response packet including data associated with said IEEE 1394 address in a data payload portion of said read response packet, wherein said PCI slave is operable to receive said data and provide said data to the PCI device in response to said PCI memory read cycle.

5. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination offset portion, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator translates said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address by assigning a portion of said PCI address to a predetermined lower portion of said destination offset portion.

6. The translator of claim 5, wherein said portion of said PCI address comprises the lower 31 bits of said PCI memory cycle address and said predetermined lower portion of said destination offset portion comprises the lower 31 bits of said destination offset portion.

7. The translator of claim 5, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator translates said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address by assigning a value from a programmable register comprised in said translator to an predetermined upper portion of said destination offset portion.

8. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination identifier portion, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator translates said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address by assigning a value from a programmable register comprised in said translator to said destination identifier portion.

9. The translator of claim 1, wherein said translator only responds as a target of said PCI memory cycle and creates said request packet if said PCI memory cycle address is within a predetermined subset of the PCI bus address space.

10. The translator of claim 1, further comprising a PCI interrupt request input, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to create a second IEEE 1394 request packet for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device for generation of an interrupt request to the IEEE 1394 device in response to the PCI device generating an interrupt request on said PCI interrupt request input.

11. The translator of claim 10, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator is operable to provide a predetermined IEEE 1394 address to said packet dispatcher logic in response to the PCI device generating an interrupt request on said interrupt request input, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to receive said predetermined IEEE 1394 address and include said predetermined IEEE 1394 address in said second IEEE 1394 request packet.

12. The translator of claim 11, wherein said predetermined IEEE 1394 address is programmable by the IEEE 1394 device.

13. The translator of claim 1, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to VXI bus translator coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a VXI instrument coupled to a VXI bus interface of said PCI bus to VXI bus translator.

14. The translator of claim 1, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to GPIB bus translator coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a GPIB instrument coupled to a GPIB bus interface of said PCI bus to GPIB bus translator.

15. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 request packet is an IEEE 1394 write request packet, wherein said write request packet further includes data in a data payload portion of said write request packet, wherein said IEEE 1394 slave is operable to receive said data and provide said data to said PCI master, wherein said one or more PCI cycles are PCI write cycles, wherein said PCI master is operable to provide said data to the PCI device on the PCI bus during said PCI write cycles.

16. The translator of claim 1, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to create an IEEE 1394 response packet for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent by said translator to the IEEE 1394 device in response to said request packet.

17. The translator of claim 16, wherein said IEEE 1394 request packet is an IEEE 1394 read request packet, wherein said one or more PCI cycles are PCI read cycles, wherein said IEEE 1394 response packet is an IEEE 1394 read response packet including a data payload portion, wherein said PCI master is operable to receive data associated with said PCI read cycle address from the PCI device during said one or more PCI read cycles, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to include said data in said data payload portion of said read response packet.

18. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a PCI address portion within a destination offset portion, wherein said packet receiver logic is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said IEEE 1394 slave, wherein said IEEE 1394 slave is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said PCI master, wherein said PCI cycle address is said PCI address portion.

19. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination identifier portion, wherein said translator responds to said request packet if said destination identifier portion identifies said translator as the destination of the request packet.

20. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying if said PCI cycle is a memory, I/O or configuration cycle.

21. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying which IDSEL pin of the PCI bus is to be driven by said translator if said portion specifies a PCI configuration cycle.

22. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying whether or not said translator is to send an IEEE 1394 response packet to the IEEE 1394 device in response to said IEEE 1394 request packet.

23. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying a number of bytes transferred to the PCI device during each of said one or more PCI cycles.

24. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying whether or not to perform byte swapping on data bytes transferred between the PCI device and the IEEE 1394 device.

25. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying that said request packet is directed at registers comprised within said translator rather than at the PCI device.

26. The translator of claim 1, wherein said translator initiates a plurality of PCI cycles targeted at the PCI device in response to said request packet, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying whether each of said plurality of PCI cycles is to the same said PCI cycle address or whether said plurality of PCI cycles are to ascending PCI cycle addresses.

27. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying whether or not to perform a PCI bus to VXI bus transfer in response to said IEEE 1394 request packet.

28. The translator of claim 27, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a portion for specifying VXI bus address modifiers if a PCI bus to VXI bus transfer is specified.

29. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 request packet is an IEEE 1394 write request packet, wherein said write request packet further includes a data payload portion, wherein said data payload portion includes one or more PCI address/data pairs, wherein said translator initiates a PCI write cycle targeted at the PCI device for each of said one or more PCI address/data pairs, wherein each of said PCI write cycles comprises an address phase specifying an address of a respective one of said one or more PCI address/data pairs and a data phase specifying data of a respective one of said one or more PCI address/data pairs.

30. The translator of claim 1, wherein said IEEE 1394 request packet is an IEEE 1394 read request packet, wherein said translator further comprises a register file for specifying one or more PCI addresses, wherein said translator initiates a PCI read cycle targeted at the PCI device for each of said one or more PCI addresses specified in said register file, wherein each of said PCI read cycles comprises an address phase specifying a respective one of said one or more PCI addresses specified in said register file.

31. The translator of claim 1, wherein the IEEE 1394 device comprises an IEEE 1394 interface in a host computer, wherein the PCI device is a remote PCI device located remotely from the host computer, wherein the PCI device couples to the IEEE 1394 interface in the host computer through an IEEE 1394 bus cable, wherein the translator interfaces between the remote PCI device and the IEEE 1394 bus cable.

32. A translator for interfacing between an IEEE 1394 bus and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow a PCI device coupled to the PCI bus to communicate with an IEEE 1394 device coupled to the IEEE 1394 bus, comprising:

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device;

wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to VXI bus translator coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a VXI instrument coupled to a VXI bus interface of said PCI bus to VXI bus translator.

33. A translator for interfacing between an IEEE 1394 bus and a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow a PCI device coupled to the PCI bus to communicate with an IEEE 1394 device coupled to the IEEE 1394 bus, comprising:

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device;

wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to GPIB bus translator coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a GPIB instrument coupled to a GPIB bus interface of said PCI bus to GPIB bus translator.

34. A system comprising:

an IEEE 1394 device;

an IEEE 1394 bus coupled to said IEEE 1394 device;

a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device;

a PCI bus coupled to said PCI device; and

a translator for interfacing between said IEEE 1394 bus and said PCI bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow said PCI device coupled to said PCI bus to communicate with said IEEE 1394 device coupled to said IEEE 1394 bus, comprising;

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device;

packet receiver logic operable to receive an IEEE 1394 request packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said request packet includes an IEEE 1394 address;

an IEEE 1394 slave coupled to said packet receiver logic operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and translate said IEEE 1394 address into a PCI cycle address; and

a PCI master coupled to said IEEE 1394 slave operable to receive said PCI cycle address and initiate a PCI cycle on the PCI bus to the PCI device.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said packet receiver logic is operable to receive an IEEE 1394 response packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent by the IEEE 1394 device to the translator in response to said request packet.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination offset portion, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator translates said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address by assigning a portion of said PCI address to a predetermined lower portion of said destination offset portion.

37. The system of claim 34, further comprising a PCI bus to VXI bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, and a VXI instrument coupled to a VXI bus interface of said PCI bus to VXI bus translator.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to GPIB bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a GPIB instrument coupled to a GPIB bus interface of said PCI bus to GPIB bus translator.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein said packet dispatcher logic is operable to create an IEEE 1394 response packet for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent by said translator to the IEEE 1394 device in response to said request packet.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a PCI address portion within a destination offset portion, wherein said packet receiver logic is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said IEEE 1394 slave, wherein said IEEE 1394 slave is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said PCI master, wherein said PCI cycle address is said PCI address portion.

41. A system comprising:

an IEEE 1394 device;

an IEEE 1394 bus coupled to said IEEE 1394 device;

a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus;

a PCI device coupled to said PCI bus, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to VXI bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a VXI instrument coupled to a VXI bus interface of said PCI bus to VXI bus translator; and

translator for interfacing between said IEEE 1394 bus and said PCI bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow said PCI device coupled to said PCI bus to communicate with said IEEE 1394 device coupled to said IEEE 1394 bus, comprising;

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device.

42. A system comprising:

an IEEE 1394 device;

an IEEE 1394 bus coupled to said IEEE 1394 device;

a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus;

a PCI device coupled to said PCI bus, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to GPIB bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a GPIB instrument coupled to a GPIB bus interface of said PCI bus to GPIB bus translator; and

translator for interfacing between said IEEE 1394 bus and said PCI bus, wherein said translator is operable to allow said PCI device coupled to said PCI bus to communicate with said IEEE 1394 device coupled to said IEEE 1394 bus, comprising;

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device.

43. A method for translating memory cycles initiated on a PCI bus by a PCI device into one or more transactions with an IEEE 1394 device coupled to an IEEE 1394 bus, wherein the PCI bus memory cycles include a PCI memory cycle address, the method comprising:

receiving a PCI bus memory cycle initiated by the PCI device;

translating said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

creating an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device;

receiving an IEEE 1394 request packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said request packet includes an IEEE 1394 address;

translating said IEEE 1394 address into a PCI cycle address; and

initiating a PCI cycle on the PCI bus to the PCI device, wherein said PCI cycle includes said translated PCI cycle address.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising receiving an IEEE 1394 response packet from the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent by the IEEE 1394 device to the translator in response to said request packet.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination offset portion, wherein said translating said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address comprises assigning a portion of said PCI address to a predetermined lower portion of said destination offset portion.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising creating an IEEE 1394 response packet for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 device, wherein said response packet is sent to the IEEE 1394 device in response to said request packet.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a PCI address portion within a destination offset portion, wherein said PCI cycle address is said PCI address portion.

48. A system comprising:

a host computer system including an IEEE 1394 bus interface;

an IEEE 1394 bus cable coupled to said IEEE 1394 interface, wherein the IEEE 1394 bus cable implements an IEEE 1394 bus; and

a remote Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) device coupled to the IEEE 1394 bus cable, wherein the remote PCI device includes;

a PCI bus interface; and

a translator coupled to said PCI bus interface and coupled to said IEEE 1394 bus cable for interfacing between said IEEE 1394 bus interface and said PCI bus interface, wherein said translator is operable to allow said remote PCI device to communicate with said IEEE 1394 bus, the translator comprising;

a PCI slave coupled to the PCI bus interface, wherein said PCI slave is operable as a target of a PCI memory cycle initiated by the PCI device, wherein said PCI memory cycle includes an address;

an IEEE 1394 initiator coupled to said PCI slave operable to receive said PCI memory cycle address and translate said PCI memory cycle address into an IEEE 1394 address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said IEEE 1394 initiator operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and create an IEEE 1394 request packet including said IEEE 1394 address for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 interface.

49. The system of claim 48, further comprising packet receiver logic operable to receive an IEEE 1394 response packet from the IEEE 1394 interface, wherein said response packet is sent by the IEEE 1394 device to the translator in response to said request packet.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a destination offset portion, wherein said IEEE 1394 initiator translates said PCI memory cycle address into said IEEE 1394 address by assigning a portion of said PCI address to a predetermined lower portion of said destination offset portion.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to VXI bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, and a VXI instrument coupled to a VXI bus interface of said PCI bus to VXI bus translator.

52. The system of claim 48, wherein said PCI device comprises a PCI bus to GPIB bus translator including a PCI bus interface coupled to the PCI bus, wherein said PCI device further comprises a GPIB instrument coupled to a GPIB bus interface of said PCI bus to GPIB bus translator.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein said translator further comprises:

packet receiver logic operable to receive an IEEE 1394 request packet from the IEEE 1394 interface, wherein said request packet includes an IEEE 1394 address;

an IEEE 1394 slave coupled to said packet receiver logic operable to receive said IEEE 1394 address and translate said IEEE 1394 address into a PCI cycle address; and

a PCI master coupled to said IEEE 1394 slave operable to receive said PCI cycle address and initiate a PCI cycle on the PCI bus to the PCI device.

54. The system of claim 53, further comprising packet dispatcher logic operable to create an IEEE 1394 response packet for transmission on the IEEE 1394 bus to the IEEE 1394 interface, wherein said response packet is sent by said translator to the IEEE 1394 interface in response to said request packet.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein said IEEE 1394 address comprises a PCI address portion within a destination offset portion, wherein said packet receiver logic is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said IEEE 1394 slave, wherein said IEEE 1394 slave is operable to provide said PCI address portion to said PCI master, wherein said PCI cycle address is said PCI address portion.

56. A system comprising:

a host computer system including a memory-mapped serial bus interface;

a serial bus cable coupled to said serial bus interface, wherein the serial bus cable implements a memory-mapped serial bus; and

a remote input/output (I/O) device coupled to the serial bus cable, wherein the remote I/O device includes;

an expansion bus interface; and

a translator coupled to expansion bus interface and coupled to said serial cable for interfacing between said serial bus interface and said expansion bus interface, wherein said translator is operable to allow said remote I/O device to communicate with said serial bus, the translator comprising;

an expansion bus slave coupled to the expansion bus interface, wherein said expansion bus slave is operable as a target of an expansion bus memory cycle initiated by the I/O device, wherein said expansion bus memory cycle includes an address;

a serial bus initiator coupled to said expansion bus slave operable to receive said expansion bus memory cycle address and translate said expansion bus memory cycle address into a serial bus address; and

packet dispatcher logic coupled to said serial bus initiator operable to receive said serial bus address and create a serial bus request packet including said serial bus address for transmission on the serial bus to the serial bus interface.