Method and system for multi-channel transfer of data and control information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for transferring data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the system comprising:
- a plurality of processing chips connected to a bridge bus;
a bridge connected to the bridge bus and to a system bus;
a plurality of buffers coupled to the bridge, each buffer being assigned to a respective processing chip; and
a first memory connected to the bridge, the first memory storing cells that are exchanged between the bridge bus and the system bus, each cell including an address for the at least one processing chip, wherein the bridge places a cell destined for a destination processing chip in the respective buffer assigned to the destination processing chip and wherein the bridge places a cell received from an initiating processing chip in a location assigned to the initiating processing chip in a second memory coupled to the system bus.
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Abstract
A system and method for transferring information in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment are described. In one embodiment, a number of processing chips are connected to a bridge bus. A bridge is connected to the bridge bus and to a system bus. In addition, a memory is connected to the bridge.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for transferring data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the system comprising:
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a plurality of processing chips connected to a bridge bus; a bridge connected to the bridge bus and to a system bus; a plurality of buffers coupled to the bridge, each buffer being assigned to a respective processing chip; and a first memory connected to the bridge, the first memory storing cells that are exchanged between the bridge bus and the system bus, each cell including an address for the at least one processing chip, wherein the bridge places a cell destined for a destination processing chip in the respective buffer assigned to the destination processing chip and wherein the bridge places a cell received from an initiating processing chip in a location assigned to the initiating processing chip in a second memory coupled to the system bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A bridge for transferring data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the bridge comprising:
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a system bus interface connected to a system bus; a memory interface connected to the system bus interface and to a memory, wherein the memory stores cells that are transmitted over the point-to-point environment, each cell including an address for the at least one processing chip; a cell initiated serial interface connected to the memory interface and to a bridge bus; and a control logic connected to the system bus interface, the memory interface, and the cell initiated serial interface, wherein the control logic places a cell destined for a destination processing chip in a respective buffer assigned to a destination processing chip, and places a cell received from an initiating processing chip in a second respective buffer assigned to the initiating processing chip. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of transmitting data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the method comprising:
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transmitting a cell to a first bus; selecting a memory queue from a plurality of memory queues in which to place the cell, wherein each memory queue is assigned to a respective of a plurality of processing chips; writing the cell to the selected memory queue; placing the cell within a bridge buffer; and bursting the cell to a respective processing chip corresponding to the bridge buffer via a second bus; receiving a second cell from a respective processing chip; and placing the received cell in a second memory location coupled to the first bus and assigned to the respective processing chip. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of receiving data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the method comprising:
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receiving a cell by a first bus coupled to a plurality of processing chips; determining a receiving queue from a plurality of queues in which to place the cell; placing the cell within a bridge buffer; saving the cell into the queue; fetching a descriptor corresponding to the cell; bursting the cell to a bus interface that corresponds to the appropriate processing chip; receiving the cell on a system bus; and placing the cell in a location corresponding to the descriptor in a memory coupled to the system bus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for transmitting data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the system comprising:
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means for transmitting a cell to a first bus; means for selecting a memory queue from a plurality of memory queues in which to place the cell, wherein each memory queue is assigned to a respective of a plurality of processing chips; means for writing the cell to the selected memory queue; means for placing the cell within a bridge buffer; and means for bursting the cell to the respective processing chip corresponding to the bridge buffer via a second bus; receiving a second cell from a respective processing chip; and placing the received cell in a second memory location coupled to the first bus and assigned to the respective processing chip.
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29. A system for receiving data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, the system comprising:
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means for receiving a cell by a first bus coupled to a plurality of processing chips; means for determining a receiving queue from a plurality of queues in which to place the cell; means for placing the cell within a bridge buffer; means for saving the cell into the queue; means for fetching a descriptor corresponding to the cell; means for bursting the cell to a bus interface that corresponds to the appropriate processing chip; means for receiving the cell on a system bus; and means for placing the cell in a location corresponding to the descriptor in a memory coupled to the system bus.
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30. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processor, perform a method for transmitting data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, comprising:
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transmitting a cell to a first bus; selecting a memory queue from a plurality of memory queues in which to place the cell, wherein each memory queue is assigned to a respective of a plurality of processing chips; writing the cell to the selected memory queue; placing the cell within a bridge buffer; and bursting the cell to a respective processing chip corresponding to the bridge buffer via a second bus; receiving a second cell from a respective processing chip; and placing the received cell in a second memory location coupled to the first bus and assigned to the respective processing chip.
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31. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processor, perform a method receiving data in a multi-channel, point-to-point environment, comprising:
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receiving a cell by a first bus coupled to a plurality of processing chips; determining a receiving queue from a plurality of queues in which to place the cell; placing the cell within a bridge buffer; saving the cell into the queue; fetching a descriptor corresponding to the cell; bursting the cell to a bus interface that corresponds to the appropriate processing chip; receiving the cell on a system bus; and placing the cell in a location corresponding to the descriptor in a memory coupled to the system bus.
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Specification