US5859988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Triple-port bus bridge
Assignee: Intel Corp
•
Filing: 1995-09-29
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Granted: 1999-01-12
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Expires: 2015-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A bridge coupling a primary bus to two secondary buses. The bridge contains three interfaces, one for the primary bus and the other two for the two secondary buses. Control circuitry is included within the bridge to support the execution of a transaction initiated by a bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge. The bridge also supports the execution of a transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to either one of the secondary buses to a target upstream of the bridge.
Inventors
- 👤 Jasmin Ajanovic
- 👤 Patrick N. Kearns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/40; G06F13/4004; G06F13/4027; G06F13/405; G06F13/4059; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D10/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a primary bus, wherein the primary bus is a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus, wherein the second secondary bus is a CardBus socket; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a primary bus, wherein the primary bus is a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus, wherein the second secondary bus is a CardBus socket; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The bridge of claim 1, wherein the second secondary bus supports both a CardBus socket and a docking station interface or a user's selection between a CardBus socket and a docking station interface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
175 words
A bridge, comprising: a first interface to couple to a primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the bridge accepts data from the first bus master when the first bus master initiates a write transaction to a target device coupled to the first secondary bus while the first secondary bus is busy executing a transaction between a first bus agent and a second us agent, the first and second bus agents both coupled to the first secondary bus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
175 words
A bridge, comprising: a first interface to couple to a primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the bridge accepts data from the first bus master when the first bus master initiates a write transaction to a target device coupled to the first secondary bus while the first secondary bus is busy executing a transaction between a first bus agent and a second us agent, the first and second bus agents both coupled to the first secondary bus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The bridge of claim 3, wherein the bridge subsequently transfers the data to the target device once the transaction between the first bus agent and the second bus agent has been completed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
187 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket, and the second secondary bus is a CardBus socket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
187 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket, and the second secondary bus is a CardBus socket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
206 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket, and the second secondary bus supports both a CardBus socket and a docking station interface or a user's selection between a CardBus socket and a docking station interface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
206 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket, and the second secondary bus supports both a CardBus socket and a docking station interface or a user's selection between a CardBus socket and a docking station interface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
232 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target up stream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the bridge accepts data from the first bus master when the first bus master initiates a write transaction to a target device coupled to the first secondary bus while the first secondary bus is busy executing a transaction between a first bus agent and a second bus agent, the first and second bus agents both coupled to the first secondary bus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
232 words
A bridge comprising: a first interface to couple to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus; a second interface to couple to a first secondary bus; a third interface to couple to a second secondary bus; an arbitration unit coupled to the second interface and to the third interface, the arbitration unit arbitrating for ownership of the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus; and control circuitry coupled to the first, second, and third interfaces to control the execution of a first transaction initiated by a first bus master upstream of the bridge to a target downstream of the bridge, a second transaction initiated by a second bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target upstream of the bridge, a third transaction initiated by a third bus master coupled to the second secondary bus to a target up stream of the bridge, and a fourth transaction initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus to a target coupled to the second secondary bus, wherein the bridge accepts data from the first bus master when the first bus master initiates a write transaction to a target device coupled to the first secondary bus while the first secondary bus is busy executing a transaction between a first bus agent and a second bus agent, the first and second bus agents both coupled to the first secondary bus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer system, comprising: a bridge comprising first, second, and third ports; a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus coupled to the first port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master upstream of the bridge are forwarded to a target downstream of the bridge; a first secondary bus coupled to the second port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge; and a second secondary bus coupled to the third port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the second secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the computer system is a mobile system and the first and second secondary buses are CardBus sockets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
A computer system, comprising: a bridge comprising first, second, and third ports; a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus coupled to the first port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master upstream of the bridge are forwarded to a target downstream of the bridge; a first secondary bus coupled to the second port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge; and a second secondary bus coupled to the third port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the second secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the computer system is a mobile system and the first and second secondary buses are CardBus sockets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
164 words
A computer system, comprising: a bridge comprising first, second, and third ports; a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus coupled to the first port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master upstream of the bridge are forwarded to a target downstream of the bridge; a first secondary bus coupled to the second port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge; and a second secondary bus coupled to the third port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the second secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the computer system is a mobile system and the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket while the second secondary bus supports both a CardBus socket and a docking station interface or a user's selection between a CardBus socket and a docking station interface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
A computer system, comprising: a bridge comprising first, second, and third ports; a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) primary bus coupled to the first port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master upstream of the bridge are forwarded to a target downstream of the bridge; a first secondary bus coupled to the second port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the first secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge; and a second secondary bus coupled to the third port of the bridge such that transactions initiated by a bus master coupled to the second secondary bus are forwarded to a target upstream of the bridge, wherein the computer system is a mobile system and the first secondary bus is a CardBus socket while the second secondary bus supports both a CardBus socket and a docking station interface or a user's selection between a CardBus socket and a docking station interface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system of claim 9, wherein arbitration for the first secondary bus and the second secondary bus is performed by the bridge.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-11 | 2002-07-13 | 2003-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-11 | 2006-07-13 | 2007-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-11 | 2010-07-13 | 2011-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |