Data transfer device and method for multidimensional memory

• US 7,096,312 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kubo, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Bataille, Pierre
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSAI, SHENG JEN
• Application Number:
  US10/386,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 711/170, 711/100, 711/209, 711/217, 382/285, 382/295
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0207 with multidimensional access, e.g. row/column, matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/10 Address translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The invention provides a data transfer device for multidimensional memory capable of performing an efficient SIMD operation and suitable for transferring data between a multidimensional memory and a one-dimensional memory. A DMAC reads data of a rectangular area in a logical two-dimensional space of a two-dimensional data access memory, and writes the read data on a one-dimensional data access memory. Further, it reads data from the one-dimensional data access memory, and writes the read data on the two-dimensional data access memory, such that the data are arranged in the rectangular area in the logical two-dimensional space of the two-dimensional data access memory.

Claims

1. A data transfer device, comprising:

source access means for accessing a multidimensional memory, the multidimensional memory having a multidimensional memory space, the multidimensional memory space having a plurality of virtual memory elements, the plurality of virtual memory elements being laid out as a matrix;

destination access means for accessing a one-dimensional memory, the one-dimensional memory having a one-dimensional memory space;

input means for inputting a read-reference address, read area specifying information, write-reference address, and write area specifying information, the read-reference address specifying a reference point of a read area, the read area being a rectangle, the read area specifying information specifying the read area, the write-reference address specifying a reference point of a write area, the write area specifying information specifying the write area, the read area specifying information including information indicating lengths of two sides of the rectangle, one side being parallel with the row direction of the matrix, the other side being parallel with the column direction of the matrix;

multidimensional memory reading means for reading data from the multidimensional memory, the data being stored in virtual elements, the virtual elements corresponding to the read area, the read area being specified by the read-reference address and the read area specifying information, the data being read via the source access means;

one-dimensional memory writing means for writing the data in the write area of the one-dimensional memory, the write area being specified by the write-reference address and the write area specifying information, the data being written via the destination access means; and

operation mode setting means for setting operation mode of the one-dimensional memory writing means to a normal transfer mode or a transposing transfer mode,

wherein;

when the operation mode setting means sets the operation mode to the normal transfer mode, the one-dimensional memory writing means writes the data in the write area, the write area corresponding to a rectangular area, the rectangular area having two sides that are the same as those of the read area; and

when the operation mode setting means sets the operation mode to the transposing transfer mode, the one-dimensional memory writing means writes the data in the write area, the write area corresponding to a rectangular area, the rectangular area having two sides that are interchanged with those of the read area.

2. A data transfer device, comprising:

source access means for accessing a one-dimensional memory, the one-dimensional memory having a one-dimensional memory space;

destination access means for accessing a multidimensional memory, the multidimensional memory having a multidimensional memory space, the multidimensional memory space having a plurality of virtual memory elements, the plurality of virtual memory elements being laid out as a matrix;

input means for inputting a read-reference address, read area specifying information, write-reference address, and write area specifying information, the read-reference address specifying a reference point of a read area, the read area specifying information specifying the read area, the write-reference address specifying a reference point of a write area, the write area being a rectangle, the write area specifying information specifying the write area, the write area specifying information including information indicating lengths of two sides of the rectangle, one side being parallel with the row direction of the matrix, the other side being parallel with the column direction of the matrix;

one-dimensional memory reading means for reading data from the one-dimensional memory, the read area being specified by the read-reference address and the read area specifying information, the data being read via the source access means;

multidimensional memory writing means for writing the data in the write area of the one-dimensional memory, the data being stored in virtual elements, the virtual elements corresponding to the write area, the write area being specified by the write-reference address and the write area specifying information, the data being written via the destination access means; and

operation mode setting means for setting operation mode of the multidimensional memory writing means to a normal transfer mode or a transposing transfer mode,

wherein;

when the operation mode setting means sets the operation mode to the normal transfer mode, the multidimensional memory writing means writes the data in the write area, the write area corresponding to a rectangular area, the rectangular area having two sides that are the same as those of the read area; and

when the operation mode setting means sets the operation mode to the transposing transfer mode, the multidimensional memory writing means writes the data in the write area, the write area corresponding to a rectangular area, the rectangular area having two sides that are interchanged with those of the read area.