Inter-bus bridge circuit with integrated loopback capability and

Details Inter-bus bridge circuit with integrated loopback capability and Inter-bus bridge circuit with integrated loopback capability and

1997-03-17

2000-01-18

Sheikh, Ayaz R.

Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/

Intrasystem connection

710101, 710128, 710129, G06F 1300

Patent

active

060165251

ABSTRACT:
A bus bridge circuit having an internal loopback capability involving a shared memory interface integrated therewith. The bridge circuit of the present invention includes a primary PCI interface, a secondary PCI interface, and a shared memory interface. Transfer between the primary and secondary interfaces may proceed in parallel with transfers between the secondary interface and the shared memory interface. A single master device on the primary bus may perform loopback testing of the bridge circuit by directing downstream transactions between the primary interface and the shared memory interface via the secondary interface. Configuration parameters of the bridge circuit permit the address range of the shared memory interface to temporarily overlap the address range of the secondary interface. The primary bus master device configures such an overlapping range and directs transactions to the secondary interface in the overlapping address range. The transactions apply data to bi-directional I/O pads associated with the secondary interface and connected to both the primary interface and to the shared memory interface. The simultaneously active shared memory interface thereby receives the transfers through the overlapping address range and returns data via the same path. This structure simplifies testing of the bridge circuit by enhancing the test coverage possible in each test vector thereby reducing the number of test vectors required. In addition, the loopback mode of operation of the bridge circuit aids in fault isolation in a board/application test environment.

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