Method and apparatus for resource arbitration

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein no access priority exists among said requests for access to each server and in said step (c) each server randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein no access priority exists among said requests for access to each server and in said step (c) each server pseudo-randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein each server is indifferent as to which requester it satisfies.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein each said set of requests includes a plurality of cells, each cell bearing an identification number that designates a server to which said cell requests access.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of iterations is five or less.

Claim 8

An arbitration apparatus for requests by a plurality of requesters to a plurality of servers, the arbitration apparatus comprising: request receiving means for receiving requests from each of said plurality of requesters, said requests received from each requester comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said plurality of servers, wherein the set of requests received from at least one of said requesters includes a plurality of simultaneous requests for access to a corresponding plurality of servers; requested communication means for simultaneously communicating all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; a plurality of server means, corresponding to said plurality of servers, for simultaneously issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said plurality of servers; grant communication means for simultaneously communicating to respective ones of said plurality of requesters each said issued grant of a request in said respective requester's set of requests; and a plurality of requester means, corresponding to said plurality of requesters, for simultaneously accepting, on behalf of each respective requester whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant.

Claim 9

An arbitration apparatus for requests by a plurality of requesters to a plurality of servers, the arbitration apparatus comprising: request receiving means for receiving requests from each of said plurality of requesters, said requests received from each requester comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said plurality of servers, wherein the set of requests received from at least one of said requesters includes a plurality of simultaneous requests for access to a corresponding plurality of servers; requested communication means for simultaneously communicating all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; a plurality of server means, corresponding to said plurality of servers, for simultaneously issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said plurality of servers; grant communication means for simultaneously communicating to respective ones of said plurality of requesters each said issued grant of a request in said respective requester's set of requests; and a plurality of requester means, corresponding to said plurality of requesters, for simultaneously accepting, on behalf of each respective requester whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant.

Claim 10

The arbitration apparatus of claim 7, further including iteration control means for repeating enabling operation of said plurality of server means and said plurality of requester means a predetermined number of iterative cycles wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is at least two iterative cycles; each server means including means for continuing to issue a previously issued grant if said previously issued grant was accepted by one of said plurality of requester means, and each requester means including means for continuing to accept a previously accepted grant if said requester means previously received at least one issued grant.

Claim 11

The arbitration apparatus of claim 8, wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is five or less.

Claim 12

The arbitration apparatus of claim 7, wherein each server means randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 13

The arbitration apparatus of claim 7, wherein each server means pseudo-randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 14

The arbitration apparatus of claim 7, wherein each server means is indifferent as to which requests it satisfies.

Claim 15

The arbitration apparatus of claim 7, wherein each said set of requests includes a plurality of cells, each cell bearing an identification number that designates a server to which said cell requests access.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein no access priority exists among said requests for access to each server and in said step (c) each server randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14, wherein no access priority exists among said requests for access to each server and in said step (c) each server pseudo-randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 20

An arbitration apparatus for requests by a plurality of requesters to a plurality of servers, the arbitration apparatus comprising: request receiving means for receiving requests from each of said plurality of requesters, said requests received from each requester comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said plurality of servers, wherein the set of requests received from at least one of said requesters includes a plurality of requests for access to a corresponding plurality of servers; request communication means for communicating all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; a plurality of server means, corresponding to said plurality of servers, for issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said plurality of servers; grant communication means for communicating to respective ones of said plurality of requesters each said issued grant of a request in said respective requester's set of requests; and a plurality of requester means, corresponding to said plurality of requesters, for accepting, on behalf of each respective requester whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant.

Claim 21

An arbitration apparatus for requests by a plurality of requesters to a plurality of servers, the arbitration apparatus comprising: request receiving means for receiving requests from each of said plurality of requesters, said requests received from each requester comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said plurality of servers, wherein the set of requests received from at least one of said requesters includes a plurality of requests for access to a corresponding plurality of servers; request communication means for communicating all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; a plurality of server means, corresponding to said plurality of servers, for issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said plurality of servers; grant communication means for communicating to respective ones of said plurality of requesters each said issued grant of a request in said respective requester's set of requests; and a plurality of requester means, corresponding to said plurality of requesters, for accepting, on behalf of each respective requester whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant.

Claim 22

The arbitration apparatus of claim 17, further including iteration control means for repeating enabling operation of said plurality of server means and said plurality of requester means a predetermined number of iterative cycles wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is at least two iterative cycles; each server means including means for continuing to issue a previously issued grant if said previously issued grant was accepted by one of said plurality of requester means, and each requester means including means for continuing to accept a previously accepted grant if said requester means previously received at least one issued grant.

Claim 23

The arbitration apparatus of claim 17, wherein each server means randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 24

The arbitration apparatus of claim 17, wherein each server means pseudo-randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each server.

Claim 25

An arbitration apparatus, comprising: N output ports, where N is an integer greater than two; a plurality of input ports for receiving requests, said requests received by each input port comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said N output ports, wherein the set of requests received by at least one of said input ports includes a plurality of requests for access to a corresponding plurality of said N output ports; request communication circuitry, coupled to said plurality of input ports, for communication all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; N request arbiters, each corresponding to one of said N output ports, for issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said N output ports; grant communication circuitry, coupled between said N request arbiters and said plurality of input ports, for communicating to respective ones of said plurality of input ports each said issued grant of a request in said respective input port's set of requests; a plurality of grant acceptance circuits, coupled to corresponding ones of said plurality of input ports and to said grant communication circuitry, for accepting, on behalf of each respective input port whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant; and iteration control means for repeatedly enabling operation of said N request arbiters and said plurality of grant acceptance circuits for a predetermined number of iterative cycles wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is at least two iterative cycles.

Claim 26

An arbitration apparatus, comprising: N output ports, where N is an integer greater than two; a plurality of input ports for receiving requests, said requests received by each input port comprising a set of requests for access to specified ones of said N output ports, wherein the set of requests received by at least one of said input ports includes a plurality of requests for access to a corresponding plurality of said N output ports; request communication circuitry, coupled to said plurality of input ports, for communication all received requests for access to each server to which access is requested; N request arbiters, each corresponding to one of said N output ports, for issuing a respective grant to a selected one of said requests for access to each respective one of said N output ports; grant communication circuitry, coupled between said N request arbiters and said plurality of input ports, for communicating to respective ones of said plurality of input ports each said issued grant of a request in said respective input port's set of requests; a plurality of grant acceptance circuits, coupled to corresponding ones of said plurality of input ports and to said grant communication circuitry, for accepting, on behalf of each respective input port whose set of requests includes at least one request for access that has been issued a grant, one said grant; and iteration control means for repeatedly enabling operation of said N request arbiters and said plurality of grant acceptance circuits for a predetermined number of iterative cycles wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is at least two iterative cycles.

Claim 27

The arbitration apparatus of claim 21, wherein each grant acceptance circuit includes means for retaining a grant accepted during one said iterative cycle through later ones of said iterative cycles, and each request arbiter includes means for preventing issuance of grant to an additional selected one of said requests for access to said respective one of said N output ports after a grant issued by said each request arbiter has been accepted by one of said plurality of grant acceptance circuits.

Claim 28

The arbitration apparatus of claim 22, wherein said predetermined number of iterative cycles is five or less.

Claim 29

The arbitration apparatus of claim 22, wherein each request arbiter randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each output port.

Claim 30

The arbitration apparatus of claim 22, wherein each request arbiter pseudo-randomly selects for grant from among said requests for access to said each output port.

Claim 31

The arbitration apparatus of claim 22, wherein each said set of requests includes a plurality of cells, each cell bearing an identification number that designates one of said N output ports to which said cell requests access.