Method and system of reducing latencies associated with resource allocation by using multiple arbiters
First Claim
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1. A digital processing system comprising:
- a plurality of electronic components;
an electronic resource is operable to be used exclusively by one of said plurality of electronic components at a given time; and
a plurality of arbiters, wherein each of said plurality of arbiters is operable to allocate said electronic resource to a same electronic component in response to a same condition.
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Abstract
A digital processing system employing multiple arbiters, all designed to allocate a resource to a same entity in response to a same condition. In an embodiment, the entities needing the resource may send a request to all the arbiters, and the specific entity to which the resource is allocated, receives indication of the allocation from a closest one of the arbiters. As a result, the latency in receipt of indication of allocation may be reduced. The features are described in the context of a bus as a resource.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A digital processing system comprising:
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a plurality of electronic components; an electronic resource is operable to be used exclusively by one of said plurality of electronic components at a given time; and a plurality of arbiters, wherein each of said plurality of arbiters is operable to allocate said electronic resource to a same electronic component in response to a same condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A digital processing system comprising:
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a plurality of electronic components; a first bus operating according to a clock signal comprising a plurality of clock cycles, wherein said first bus is operable to be used exclusively by one of said plurality of electronic components at any given time; and a plurality of arbiters, wherein each arbiter of said plurality of arbiters is operable to allocate said first bus to a specific electronic component for a subset of said plurality of clock cycles, wherein said allocation is responsive to a plurality of conditions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of allocating a shared electronic resource to a first electronic component, said method comprising:
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receiving at each of a plurality of arbiters a request to access said shared electronic resource, wherein said request is initiated by said first electronic component, and wherein said first electronic component is operable to exclusively access said shared electronic resource when said request is granted; each of said plurality of arbiters independently determining that access to said shared electronic resource is to be granted to said first electronic component; and communicating exclusive allocation of said shared electronic resource to said first electronic component, wherein said communicating is performed by an arbiter that is positioned closest to said first electronic component in comparison to other arbiters of said plurality of arbiters. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification