Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
An apparatus for controlling data transfer from a first information processing element to a second information processing element comprising: request receiving means, coupled to the first information processing element, for receiving a transfer request signal therefrom; SVO signal generating means, coupled to the request receiving means, for generating a first SVO signal to the second information processing element in response to the transfer request signal; data accept signal means, coupled to the SVO signal generating means, for generating a first data accept signal in response to the first SVO signal; SVI signal receiving means, coupled to the second information processing element, for receiving a first SVI signal from the second information processing element, corresponding to the transfer request signal, for indicating that a data transfer has occurred and for receiving a second SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element when the data transfer is complete; SVO reset means, coupled to the SVI signal receiving means and to the SVO signal generating means, for causing the SVO signal generating means to generate a second SVO signal in response to the first SVI signal; wherein the data accept signal means generates a second data accept signal in response to the second SVO signal; and SVO inhibiting means, coupled to the SVO signal generating means and to the SVI signal receiving means, for inhibiting the SVO generating means from generating a succeeding first SVO signal in response to a subsequent transfer request signal when the second SVI signal has not been received by the SVO inhibiting means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
261 words
An apparatus for controlling data transfer from a first information processing element to a second information processing element comprising: request receiving means, coupled to the first information processing element, for receiving a transfer request signal therefrom; SVO signal generating means, coupled to the request receiving means, for generating a first SVO signal to the second information processing element in response to the transfer request signal; data accept signal means, coupled to the SVO signal generating means, for generating a first data accept signal in response to the first SVO signal; SVI signal receiving means, coupled to the second information processing element, for receiving a first SVI signal from the second information processing element, corresponding to the transfer request signal, for indicating that a data transfer has occurred and for receiving a second SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element when the data transfer is complete; SVO reset means, coupled to the SVI signal receiving means and to the SVO signal generating means, for causing the SVO signal generating means to generate a second SVO signal in response to the first SVI signal; wherein the data accept signal means generates a second data accept signal in response to the second SVO signal; and SVO inhibiting means, coupled to the SVO signal generating means and to the SVI signal receiving means, for inhibiting the SVO generating means from generating a succeeding first SVO signal in response to a subsequent transfer request signal when the second SVI signal has not been received by the SVO inhibiting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising data accept inhibit means, coupled to the data accept signal means and to the SVI signal receiving means, for causing the data accept signal means to generate the first data accept signal when a subsequent transfer request signal has been received by the request receiving means and the second SVI signal has not been received by the SVI signal receiving means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, for any integer N greater than zero, the transfer request signal normally is generated at N clock cycles after a preceding transfer request signal is generated and wherein, for any integer M greater than zero, the transfer inhibit means inhibits the generation of the succeeding transfer indication signal when the previous data transfer did not complete within M clock cycles after the generation of the preceding transfer request signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
8 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein M=1.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for controlling data transfer from a first information processing element to a second information processing element comprising the steps of: generating a first SVO signal to the second information processing element in response to a transfer request signal received from the first information processing element; generating a first data accept signal in response to the first SVO signal; receiving a first SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element indicating that a data transfer has occurred; generating a second SVO signal in response to the first SVI signal; generating a second data accept signal in response to the second SVO signal; receiving a second SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element when the data transfer is complete; and inhibiting the SVO generating means from generating a succeeding first SVO signal in response to a subsequent transfer request signal when the second SVI signal has not been received by the SVO inhibiting means.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for controlling data transfer from a first information processing element to a second information processing element comprising the steps of: generating a first SVO signal to the second information processing element in response to a transfer request signal received from the first information processing element; generating a first data accept signal in response to the first SVO signal; receiving a first SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element indicating that a data transfer has occurred; generating a second SVO signal in response to the first SVI signal; generating a second data accept signal in response to the second SVO signal; receiving a second SVI signal, corresponding to the transfer request signal, from the second information processing element when the data transfer is complete; and inhibiting the SVO generating means from generating a succeeding first SVO signal in response to a subsequent transfer request signal when the second SVI signal has not been received by the SVO inhibiting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of generating the first data accept signal when a subsequent transfer request signal has been received and the second SVI signal has not been received.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of, for any integer N greater than zero, receiving the subsequent transfer request signal N clock cycles after receiving the transfer request signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the SVO generating means inhibiting step further comprises the step of, for any integer M greater than zero, inhibiting the SVO generating means from generating the succeeding first SVO signal when the data transfer did not complete within M clock cycles after the generation of the transfer request signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
8 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein M=N.