USB host protocol

1. A method of transferring bulk and control data from a first device to a second device, comprising:

forming data to be transferred into a plurality of transfer descriptors, each transfer descriptor comprising a transfer descriptor header and payload data, wherein each transfer descriptor header defines an endpoint to which the payload data is to be transmitted, and wherein the payload data comprises at least one packet;

storing the formed transfer descriptors in a buffer memory in the first device; and reading data from the memory in packets for transfer to the second device, with packets being read from the transfer descriptors cyclically;

further comprising, when first and second transfer descriptor headers, in first and second transfer descriptors respectively, define a common endpoint:

setting respective flags in the first and second transfer descriptor headers to different values;

setting a register value to an initial value, which is equal to the value of the flag in the first transfer descriptor header;

determining when all data packets from the first transfer descriptor have been transmitted, and thereafter changing the register value to be equal to the value of the flag in the second transfer descriptor header; and

reading data packets from the first and second transfer descriptor only when the value of the respective flag therein is equal to the register value.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffer memory comprises first and second buffers, the method further comprising, when the first and second transfer descriptor headers define a common endpoint:

storing the first and second transfer descriptors in different ones of the first and second buffers.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a USB host controller.

4. A host controller, for use in a bus communication system, the host controller comprising:

a buffer memory, for storing data to be transferred in a plurality of transfer descriptors, each transfer descriptor comprising a transfer descriptor header and payload data, wherein each transfer descriptor header defines an endpoint to which the payload data is to be transmitted, and wherein the payload data comprises at least one packet; and

means for reading data from the buffer memory in packets for transfer to a second device, with packets being read from the transfer descriptors cyclically;

the host controller being adapted, when first and second transfer descriptor headers, in first and second transfer descriptors respectively, define a common endpoint:

to set respective flags in the first and second transfer descriptor headers to different values;

to set a register value to an initial value, which is equal to the value of the flag in the first transfer descriptor header;

to determine when all data packets from the first transfer descriptor have been transmitted, and thereafter to change the register value to be equal to the value of the flag in the second transfer descriptor header; and

to read data packets from the first and second transfer descriptor only when the value of the respective flag therein is equal to the register value.

5. A host controller as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the buffer memory comprises first and second buffers, the host controller being adapted, when the first and second transfer descriptor headers define a common endpoint:

to store the first and second transfer descriptors in different ones of the first and second buffers.

6. A host controller as claimed in claim 4 , comprising a USB host controller.