초록 ▼

A compound control/data channel connects an I/O bridge (IOB) and a data buffer unit (DBU) in a high performance I/O subsystem. Generally, data movements among an I/O bridge, data buffer unit, system bus and I/O bus are dominated by separate control signal groups issued from the I/O bridge. The compo

A compound control/data channel connects an I/O bridge (IOB) and a data buffer unit (DBU) in a high performance I/O subsystem. Generally, data movements among an I/O bridge, data buffer unit, system bus and I/O bus are dominated by separate control signal groups issued from the I/O bridge. The compound control/data channel permits integration of these control signal groups onto the data channel connected between I/O bridge and data buffer unit. A data controller can control and transfer data to/from a data buffer using this unique channel, alternately, for control information and data streams.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus, comprising:an input/output bridge for issuing a control signal to initiate data transfer;a data buffer for, upon receipt of the issued control signal, receiving data from a first bus; anda compound control/data channel, connected between the input/output bri

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus, comprising:an input/output bridge for issuing a control signal to initiate data transfer;a data buffer for, upon receipt of the issued control signal, receiving data from a first bus; anda compound control/data channel, connected between the input/output bridge and the data buffer, for transporting the issued control signal from the input/output bridge to the data buffer under control of the input/output bridge, wherein, after receipt of the data from the first bus, the compound control/data channel transports the data from the data buffer to the input/output bridge, under control of the data buffer, wherein the input/output bridge transports the data received from the data buffer to a second bus, wherein said compound control/data channel includes,mode selecting means for selecting between a control node and a data mode, anda control/data channel for transporting data upon the mode selecting means selecting a data mode and for transporting a control signal upon the mode selecting means selecting a control mode, andwherein one of the input/output bridge and the data buffer controls the mode selecting means.