IP Library Granted Patent US 8,285,902
Granted Patent B2
US 8,285,902 · App. 12/635,148 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Data transfer apparatus and data transfer method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,285,902
App. No.
12/635,148
Granted
Oct 9, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data transfer apparatus performing data communication by transmitting a bus use request to an arbiter between a plurality of nodes coupled in a tree shape through a bus is provided. The data transfer apparatus includes a request generation circuit which generates a highest priority request indicating that a priority level for using the bus is the highest, a determination circuit which determines the priority level of the highest priority request, and a priority level setting circuit which determines the highest priority request which takes priority based on a result of the determination circuit when a plurality of highest priority requests conflicts in a node.

Claims (24)

1. A data transfer apparatus performing data communication by transmitting a bus use request to an arbiter provided in a plurality of nodes coupled in a tree shape through a bus, the data transfer apparatus comprising:

a request generation circuit which generates a highest priority request indicating that a priority level for using the bus is the highest;

a determination circuit which, when a plurality of highest priority requests including a highest priority request issued at a node and a highest priority request issued at another node conflict, determines the priority level from among a first priority level, a second priority level and a third priority level, the first priority level indicating that the highest priority request issued at the node takes priority, the second priority level indicating that the highest priority request issued at the another node takes priority, the third priority level indicating that the issue of the highest priority request at the node is stopped; and

a priority level setting circuit which determines the highest priority request which takes priority based on a result of the determination circuit.

2. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination circuit determines based on information indicating which request of the plurality of highest priority requests takes priority.

3. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when a highest priority request from a local node and a highest priority request from a remote node conflict, the priority level setting circuit determines which node is granted a priority right based on the information.

4. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination circuit determines a port attribute of a connection port coupled to the bus, and when a plurality of highest priority requests are received from a remote node, the priority level setting circuit determines which remote node is granted a priority right based on the port attribute.

5. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination circuit determines whether or not emergency information is received from outside of the data transfer apparatus, and the priority level setting circuit outputs an operation command to a remote node based on the emergency information.

6. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the remote node takes a priority based on the operation command.

7. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the priority level setting circuit imposes an operation restriction on at least one node of the plurality of nodes based on the emergency information.

8. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data communication is packet communication in which data is transferred in a packet unit.

9. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data communication is stopped based on the result of the determination circuit.

10. The data transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the data communication is a full-duplex communication which uses two signal lines stored in one cable.

11. A data transfer method of performing data communication by transmitting a bus use request to an arbiter provided in a plurality of nodes coupled in a tree shape through a bus, the data transfer method comprising:

generating a highest priority request indicating that a priority level for using the bus is the highest;

determining, when a plurality of highest priority requests including a highest priority request issued at a node and a highest priority request issued at another node conflict, the priority level from among a first priority level, a second priority level and a third priority level, the first priority level indicating that the highest priority request issued at the node takes priority, the second priority level indicating that the highest priority request issued at the another node takes priority, the third priority level indicating that the issue of the highest priority request at the node is stopped; and

determining the highest priority request which takes priority based on a result of the determining of the priority level.

12. The data transfer method according to claim 11 , further comprising determining based on information indicating which request of the plurality of highest priority requests takes priority.

13. The data transfer method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

determining which node is granted a priority right based on the information if a highest priority request from a local node and a highest priority request from a remote node conflict.

14. The data transfer method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a port attribute of a connection port coupled to the bus, and determining which remote node is granted a priority right based on the port attribute when a plurality of highest priority requests are received from a remote node.

15. The data transfer method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

determining whether or not emergency information is received from outside of the data transfer apparatus, and outputting an operation command to a remote node based on the emergency information.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2016
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 040911/0238 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 11, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 039708/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: SPANSION, LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036051/0256 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Dec 30, 2014
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: SPANSION LLC; SPANSION INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY INC.; SPANSION TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 034715/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 031205/0461 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2010
From: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024794/0500 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2009
From: UENO, HIROTAKA
To: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 023659/0020 →