Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection – Bus interface architecture
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2003-05-20
Treat, William M. (Department: 2183)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
Bus interface architecture
C712S227000, C717S138000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567883
ABSTRACT:
FIELD
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for command translation and enforcement of ordering of commands.
BACKGROUND
It is commonplace for complex systems (e.g., servers) to be constructed of a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs), e.g., chipsets. A situation can arise where it is desired that a subject IC support certain functions/commands which include specialized functions/commands, while a different IC interconnected to the subject IC supports some but not all of the subject ICs functions/commands. Accordingly, it is useless to transfer a specialized command from the subject IC to the different IC, given the fact that the different IC does not recognize/support the specialized function/command.
Turning now to one non-exhaustive example to aid in understanding, this disclosure will use a “flush” specialized function/command for purposes of discussion/explanation. By “flush”, it is meant, for example, that an IC will cause all internal pre-existing commands to be purged/completed whenever a flush command is issued. One example where a flush feature/command might be useful, is to cause/force an IC to complete all pre-existing commands so that other components within the complex system might poll stabilized/completed status/data within the IC's internal registers/memory or within main memory. A particular example would be a system where if a main system processor wanted to poll information within registers and/or main memory with respect to a graphics arrangement of the system, the graphics arrangement could be forced to flush and complete all pre-existing commands.
Turning now to discussion of an example background system which is helpful for understanding,
FIG. 1
illustrates a first IC
1
interconnected via a first interface I
1
(e.g., a predetermined bus) to a second IC
2
which, in turn, is interconnected via a second interface I
2
(e.g., a predetermined bus) to a MEMORY. The IC
1
has a plurality of queues QUEUE#
1
, . . . QUEUE#N. As to functions/commands available, for simplicity and brevity of discussion, suppose that IC
1
supports READ, WRITE and FLUSH commands, while the IC
2
only supports READ and WRITE commands. Again, it is useless to transfer the FLUSH specialized command from the subject IC
1
to the different IC
2
, given the fact that the different IC
2
does not recognize/support the specialized FLUSH function/command. Further, even if preexisting commands within the plurality of queues QUEUE#
1
, . . . QUEUE#N of IC
1
are outputted to IC
2
for servicing, IC
2
might not be able to give IC
1
any feedback as to when all FLUSH-induced commands have been completed, i.e., again given the fact that the different IC
2
does not recognize/support the specialized FLUSH function/command, may not even know that a FLUSH function is being performed, and/or may not know the importance of ordering of commands coming out of IC
1
.
One solution would be to redesign IC
2
to include arrangements to recognize/support the specialized function/commands of IC
1
. However, redesign may be undesirable/impractical for a number of reasons. For example, IC
2
may be a preexisting IC (e.g., implemented in millions of systems) for which redesign/replacement/retrofitting would not be cost effective and/or would be disruptive. Alternatively, IC
1
might be an optional IC which is not included/demanded in a sufficient number of systems so as to justify the design cost and chip real estate of dedicated arrangements within the IC
2
for supporting IC
1
's specialized functions/commands.
SUMMARY
An adaptive arrangement including a command translation/ordering unit arranged to recognize and convert a first predetermined command unrecognizable/unsupported by an external recipient into a second predetermined command recognizable/supported by the external recipient. Such arrangement is further arranged to control a predetermined ordering of the converted second predetermined command with respect to other commands.
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patent: 5867686 (1999-02-01), Conner et al.
patent: 5903760 (1999-05-01), Farber et al.
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patent: 6075937 (2000-06-01), Scalzi et al.
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Dahlen Eric J.
Meredith Susan S.
Huter Jeffrey B.
Intel Corporation
Treat William M.
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