System for transferring blocks of data among diverse units having cycle identifier signals to identify different phase of data transfer operations

Claim 2

A data processing system comprising a plurality of units interconnected by a bus and a host for issuing commands, including data transfer commands, to said units to initiate a data transfer operation, each unit comprising: A. information transfer means for transmitting and receiving information signals, including arbitration, target select and data signals, over information transfer lines of the bus; B. cycle identifier transfer means for transmitting and receiving cycle identifier signals over cycle identifier lines of the bus; and C. transfer control means connected to the information transfer means and the cycle identifier transfer means for enabling a data transfer during a data transfer operation in a plurality of phases, including an arbitration phase, a target selection phase and a data transfer phase, each identified by a unique encoding of the cycle identifier signals, the transfer control means: (i) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines arbitration signals during the arbitration phase of a data transfer operation in response to receipt of a data transfer command from said host and receipt of cycle identifier signals identifying an arbitration operation by the cycle identifier transfer means to thereby engage in an arbitration operation during which a unit is identified as a master unit selected to engage in a transfer operation over the bus; (ii) during the target selection phase of a data transfer operation selectively (a) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines target select signals identifying another unit as a target unit, and the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals over the cycle identifier lines if the unit is identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase, or (b) if the unit is not identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase and in response to receipt by the cycle identifier means of cycle control signals identifying the target select phase, enabling the information transfer means to receive target select signals and determine whether they identify it as a target unit for the transfer operation; and (iii) during the data transfer phase of a data transfer operation, if the unit was identified as a master unit during the arbitration phase or a target unit during the target selection phase, enabling the information transfer means to transfer data signals representing a series of data words as determined in the data transfer command, and if the unit was identified as a master unit further enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals identifying the data transfer phase.

Claim 3

A data processing system as defined in claim 1 in which said information transfer lines include a plurality of information signal transfer lines, each unit's information transfer means transmitting as its arbitration signals a signal over a unique one of said information transfer lines in response to said transfer control means.

Claim 4

A data processing system as defined in claim 2 further comprising an arbiter unit connected to said bus, said arbiter unit transmitting cycle identifier signals comprising a code identifying said arbitration operation to initiate said arbitration operation over said cycle identifier lines, said arbiter unit receiving the arbitration signals from said information transfer lines and generating a grant signal for transmission over said information transfer lines to enable a selected one of said units to initiate said target select operation, said arbiter unit thereafter removing the code identifying the arbitration operation from said cycle identifier lines.

Claim 5

A data processing system as defined in claim 3 in which each unit has a unique unit identification code, the transfer control means of the selected unit enabling its information transfer means to transmit over the information transfer lines its unit identification code as a master identification code and the unit identification code of another unit to engage in the data transfer operation as a target identification code during the target select phase.

Claim 6

A data processing system as defined in claim 4 in which the transfer control means of the selected unit further enables its cycle identifier transfer means to transmit cycle identifier signals over the cycle identifier lines identifying the target select phase.

Claim 7

A data processing system as defined in claim 5 in which, for each of the other units: A. the information transfer means receives the master identification code and the target identification code from the information transfer lines; B. the cycle identifier transfer means receive said cycle identifier signals and determine if they identify the target select phase, and C. the transfer control means, in response to a positive determination by said the cycle identifier transfer means, determines whether the target identification code corresponds to its unit identification code.

Claim 8

A data processing system as defined in claim 6 in which, in response to a positive determination by said transfer control means, the transfer control means enables the information transfer means to transmit an acknowledgement over said bus, the transfer control means of the selected unit thereafter enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to remove the cycle identifier signals identifying the target phase from said cycle identifier lines.

Claim 9

A data processing system as defined in claim 7 in which: A. the transfer control means of said selected unit, after enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to remove the cycle identifier signals identifying the target phase from said cycle identifier lines, enables: i. the cycle identifier transfer means to transmit cycle identifier signals over said cycle identifier lines identifying a data transfer phase, and ii. the information transfer means to transfer data over said information transfer lines to thereby perform the data transfer, and B. the cycle identifier transfer means of said target unit receives said cycle identifier signals identifying the data transfer phase and enables its transfer control means to, in turn, enable its information transfer means to participate in the data transfer.

Claim 10

A unit for connection to a data processing system including a plurality of units interconnected by a bus, said plurality of units also being connected to a host for issuing commands, including data transfer commands to said plurality of units to initiate a data transfer operation, said unit comprising: A. information transfer means for transmitting and receiving information signals, including arbitration, target select and data signals, over information transfer lines of the bus; B. cycle identifier transfer means for transmitting and receiving cycle identifier signals over cycle identifier lines of the bus; and C. transfer control means connected to the information transfer means and the cycle identifier transfer means for enabling a data transfer during a data transfer operation in a plurality of phases, including an arbitration phase, a target selection phase and a data transfer phase, each identified by a unique encoding of the cycle identifier signals, the transfer control means: (i) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines arbitration signals during the arbitration phase of a data transfer operation in response to receipt of a data transfer command from said host and receipt of cycle identifier signals identifying an arbitration operation by the cycle identifier transfer means to thereby engage in an arbitration operation during which one of the plurality of units is identified as a master unit selected to engage in a transfer operation over the bus; (ii) during the target selection phase of a data transfer operation selectively (a) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines target select signals identifying another unit as a target unit, and the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals over the cycle identifier lines if the unit is identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase, or (b) if the unit is not identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase and in response to receipt by the cycle identifier means of cycle control signals identifying the target select phase, enabling the information transfer means to receive target select signals and determine whether they identify it as a target unit; and (iii) during the data transfer phase of a data transfer operation, if the unit was identified as a master unit during the arbitration phase or a target unit during the target selection phase, enabling the information transfer means to transfer data signals representing a series of data words as determined in the data transfer command, and if the unit was identified as a master unit further enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals identifying the data transfer phase.

Claim 11

A unit for connection to a data processing system including a plurality of units interconnected by a bus, said plurality of units also being connected to a host for issuing commands, including data transfer commands to said plurality of units to initiate a data transfer operation, said unit comprising: A. information transfer means for transmitting and receiving information signals, including arbitration, target select and data signals, over information transfer lines of the bus; B. cycle identifier transfer means for transmitting and receiving cycle identifier signals over cycle identifier lines of the bus; and C. transfer control means connected to the information transfer means and the cycle identifier transfer means for enabling a data transfer during a data transfer operation in a plurality of phases, including an arbitration phase, a target selection phase and a data transfer phase, each identified by a unique encoding of the cycle identifier signals, the transfer control means: (i) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines arbitration signals during the arbitration phase of a data transfer operation in response to receipt of a data transfer command from said host and receipt of cycle identifier signals identifying an arbitration operation by the cycle identifier transfer means to thereby engage in an arbitration operation during which one of the plurality of units is identified as a master unit selected to engage in a transfer operation over the bus; (ii) during the target selection phase of a data transfer operation selectively (a) enabling the information transfer means to transfer over the information transfer lines target select signals identifying another unit as a target unit, and the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals over the cycle identifier lines if the unit is identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase, or (b) if the unit is not identified as the master unit during the arbitration phase and in response to receipt by the cycle identifier means of cycle control signals identifying the target select phase, enabling the information transfer means to receive target select signals and determine whether they identify it as a target unit; and (iii) during the data transfer phase of a data transfer operation, if the unit was identified as a master unit during the arbitration phase or a target unit during the target selection phase, enabling the information transfer means to transfer data signals representing a series of data words as determined in the data transfer command, and if the unit was identified as a master unit further enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to transfer cycle identifier signals identifying the data transfer phase.

Claim 12

A unit as defined in claim 9 in which said information transfer lines include a plurality of information signal transfer lines, said information transfer means transmitting as the unit's arbitration signals a signal over a unique one of said information transfer lines in response to said transfer control means.

Claim 13

A unit as defined in claim 10 in which the transfer control means, A. in response to receipt by said cycle identifier transfer means of cycle identifier signals comprising a code identifying said arbitration operation, enables said information transfer means to transfer said unit's arbitration signal as part of said arbitration operation over said cycle identifier lines and B. said information transfer means to receive said grant signal from said information transfer lines.

Claim 14

A unit as defined in claim 11 in which each unit has a unique unit identification code, the transfer control means, in response to receipt of said grant signal enabling its information transfer means to transmit over the information transfer lines its unit identification code as a master identification code and the unit identification code of another unit to engage in the data transfer operation as a target identification code during the target select phase.

Claim 15

A unit as defined in claim 12 in which the transfer control means, in response to receipt of the grant signal, further enables its cycle identifier transfer means to transmit cycle identifier signals over the cycle identifier lines identifying the target select phase.

Claim 16

A unit as defined in claim 13 in which: A. the information transfer means receives the master identification code and the target identification code from the information transfer lines; B. the cycle identifier transfer means receive said cycle identifier signals and determine if they identify the target select phase, and C. the transfer control means, in response to a positive determination by said the cycle identifier transfer means, determines whether the target identification code corresponds to its unit identification code.

Claim 17

A unit as defined in claim 14 in which, in response to a positive determination by said transfer control means, the transfer control means enables the information transfer means to transmit an acknowledgement over said bus, the transfer control means of the selected unit thereafter enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to remove the cycle identifier signals identifying the target phase from said cycle identifier lines.

Claim 18

A unit as defined in claim 15 in which the transfer control means, in response to receipt of the grant signal, after enabling the cycle identifier transfer means to remove the cycle identifier signals identifying the target phase from said cycle identifier lines, enables: A. the cycle identifier transfer means to transmit cycle identifier signals over said cycle identifier lines identifying a data transfer phase, and B. the information transfer means to transfer data over said information transfer lines to thereby perform the data transfer.