US6185629B1 — Data transfer controller employing differing memo…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 286 words

A image processor comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external port having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control output lines and a plurality of bus size input lines; and a data buffer connected to said first data lines of said data processor; and memory interface circuitry coupled to said data processor, to said external port and to said data buffer operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external port, said memory interface circuitry including: an addressing means receiving a data processor address on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor and supplying said data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external port for output; a decoding circuit connected to said bus size input lines for sampling input on said bus size input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address for decoding said sampled inputs from said bus size input lines of said external port to indicate a bus size protocol for transfers of information; a data circuit supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined set of said second address lines of said external port corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines in a quantity of bits corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external port.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 286 words

A image processor comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external port having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control output lines and a plurality of bus size input lines; and a data buffer connected to said first data lines of said data processor; and memory interface circuitry coupled to said data processor, to said external port and to said data buffer operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external port, said memory interface circuitry including: an addressing means receiving a data processor address on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor and supplying said data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external port for output; a decoding circuit connected to said bus size input lines for sampling input on said bus size input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address for decoding said sampled inputs from said bus size input lines of said external port to indicate a bus size protocol for transfers of information; a data circuit supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined set of said second address lines of said external port corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines in a quantity of bits corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external port.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The image processor of claim 1 wherein said decoding circuit further establishes the size in bits of the transfers to accommodate the bus size thus determined.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 212 words

A data processing system comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external port having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control output lines and a plurality of memory protocol input lines; and a memory interface controller coupled to said data processor and said external port operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external port, said memory interface circuitry supplying signals on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor specifying a data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external port, sampling inputs on said memory protocol input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address, and supplying address signals to said plurality of second address lines of said external port and supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control output lines of said external port for control of information transfer between said data processor and said external port for a next memory cycle corresponding to said sampled inputs.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 212 words

A data processing system comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external port having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control output lines and a plurality of memory protocol input lines; and a memory interface controller coupled to said data processor and said external port operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external port, said memory interface circuitry supplying signals on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor specifying a data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external port, sampling inputs on said memory protocol input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address, and supplying address signals to said plurality of second address lines of said external port and supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control output lines of said external port for control of information transfer between said data processor and said external port for a next memory cycle corresponding to said sampled inputs.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein said predetermined time in a memory cycle at which said memory interface controller samples said memory protocol input lines is a row address time during which said memory interface controller supplies a row address on said second address lines of said external port.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 164 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol input lines of said external port includes a plurality of address shift selection input lines indicating no address shift or a predetermined address shift; said memory interface controller supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor to said second address lines of said external port during a row address time, again supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor to said second address lines of said external port during a column address time if said sampled inputs of said plurality of address shift selection input lines indicate no address shift, and supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor shifted a predetermined shift amount to said second address lines of said external port during a column address time if said sampled inputs of said plurality of address shift selection input lines indicate a predetermined address shift.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 221 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol input lines of said external port includes a plurality of page size input lines indicating a page size; said data processing system further comprises a lastpage register coupled to said plurality of first address lines of said data processor for storing previous address information; and a comparator connected to said plurality of first address lines of said data processors and said lastpage register, having a number of bits to compare input, said comparator comparing a number of lines of said plurality of first address lines of said data processors to corresponding bits of said lastpage register and generating a new page signal upon a failure to match; and said memory interface controller is connected to said comparator, said memory interface controller supplying said number of bits to compare input of said comparator corresponding to a page size indicated by said plurality of page size input lines; supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control output lines of said external port for a memory page mode access if said comparator does not generate said new page signal, and supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control output lines of said external port for a normal row/column access if said comparator generates said new page signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

The data processing system of claim 6 wherein: said page size indicated by said plurality of page size input lines includes a no page indication; said memory interface controller supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control output lines of said external port for a normal row/column access if said plurality of page size input lines indicates no page.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol input lines of said external port includes a plurality of column timing input lines indicating a number of cycles for a column address time; and said memory interface controller supplying a column address for a number of cycles corresponding to said number of cycles for a column address time indicated by said column timing input lines.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 128 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol input lines of said external port includes a plurality of bus size input lines indicating a bus size; said data processing system further comprises a data buffer connected to said first data lines of said data processor; and said memory interface controller is connected to said data buffer, said memory interface controller supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined set of said second address lines of said external port corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines in a quantity of bits corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external port.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 161 words

The data processing system of claim 9 further comprising: an endian mode memory storing an indication of either a little endian mode or a big endian mode; said memory interface controller is connected to said endian mode memory, said memory interface controller supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined number of least significant bits of said second address lines of said external port corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external port when said endian mode memory indicates little endian mode, and supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined number of most significant bits of said second address lines of said external port corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size input lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external port when said endian mode memory indicates big endian mode.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The data processing system of claim 3 wherein said data processor, said external port and said memory interface controller are disposed on a single integrated circuit.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 218 words

A data processing system comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external memory storing data at a plurality of addressable memory locations having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control lines and a plurality of memory protocol lines; and a memory interface controller coupled to said data processor and said external memory operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external memory, said memory interface circuitry supplying signals on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor specifying a data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external memory, sampling inputs on said memory protocol input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address, and supplying address signals to said plurality of second address lines of said external memory and supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control lines of said external memory for control of information transfer between said data processor and said external memory for a next memory cycle corresponding to said sampled inputs.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 218 words

A data processing system comprising: a data processor having a plurality of first address lines and a plurality of first data lines, said data processor supplying an address on said plurality of first address lines and transferring data via said plurality of data lines; an external memory storing data at a plurality of addressable memory locations having a plurality of second address lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of memory control lines and a plurality of memory protocol lines; and a memory interface controller coupled to said data processor and said external memory operative to transfer information between said data processor and said external memory, said memory interface circuitry supplying signals on said plurality of first address lines of said data processor specifying a data processor address to said plurality of second address lines of said external memory, sampling inputs on said memory protocol input lines at a predetermined time in a memory cycle following supply of said data processor address, and supplying address signals to said plurality of second address lines of said external memory and supplying memory control signals to said plurality of memory control lines of said external memory for control of information transfer between said data processor and said external memory for a next memory cycle corresponding to said sampled inputs.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 50 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein said predetermined time in a memory cycle at which said memory interface controller samples said memory protocol lines is a row address time during which said memory interface controller supplies a row address on said second address lines of said external memory.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 160 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol lines of said external memory includes a plurality of address shift selection lines indicating no address shift or a predetermined address shift; said memory interface controller supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor to said second address lines of said external memory during a row address time, again supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor to said second address lines of said external memory during a column address time if said sampled inputs of said plurality of address shift selection lines indicate no address shift, and supplying said address received on said first address lines from said data processor shifted a predetermined shift amount to said second address lines of said external memory during a column address time if said sampled inputs of said plurality of address shift selection lines indicate a predetermined address shift.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 208 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol lines of said external memory includes a plurality of page size lines indicating a page size; said data processing system further comprises a lastpage register coupled to said plurality of first address lines of said data processor for storing previous address information; and a comparator connected to said plurality of first address lines of said data processors and said lastpage register, having a number of bits to compare input, said comparator comparing a number of lines of said plurality of first address lines of said data processors to corresponding bits of said lastpage register and generating a new page signal upon a failure to match; and said memory interface controller is connected to said comparator, said memory interface controller supplying said number of bits to compare input of said comparator corresponding to a page size indicated by said plurality of page size lines; supplying signals to said memory control lines of said external memory for a memory page mode access if said comparator does not generate said new page signal, and supplying signals to said memory control lines of said external memory for a normal row/column access if said comparator generates said new page signal.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 55 words

The data processing system of claim 15 wherein: said page size indicated by said plurality of page size input lines includes a no page indication; said memory interface controller supplying signals to said memory control lines of said external memory for a normal row/column access if said plurality of page size lines indicates no page.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 66 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol lines of said external memory includes a plurality of column timing lines indicating a number of cycles for a column address time; and said memory interface controller supplying a column address for a number of cycles corresponding to said number of cycles for a column address time indicated by said column timing lines.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 124 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein: said plurality of memory protocol lines of said external memory includes a plurality of bus size lines indicating a bus size; said data processing system further comprises a data buffer connected to said first data lines of said data processor; and said memory interface controller is connected to said data buffer, said memory interface controller supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined set of said second address lines of said external memory corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size lines in a quantity of bits corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external memory.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 159 words

The data processing system of claim 18 further comprising: an endian mode memory storing an indication of either a little endian mode or a big endian mode; said memory interface controller is connected to said endian mode memory, said memory interface controller supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined number of least significant bits of said second address lines of said external memory corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external memory when said endian mode memory indicates little endian mode, and supplying data from said data buffer to a predetermined number of most significant bits of said second address lines of said external memory corresponding to said bus size indicated by said bus size lines and supplying no data on other of said second address lines of said external memory when said endian mode memory indicates big endian mode.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

The data processing system of claim 12 wherein said data processor and said memory interface controller are disposed on a single integrated circuit.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-02-06	2004-08-07	2005-02-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-02-06	2008-08-07	2009-02-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-02-06	2012-08-07	2013-02-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Data transfer controller employing differing memory interface protocols dependent upon external input at predetermined time

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