IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0680524
(2000-10-06)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Rowlands,Joseph B.
- Hayter,Mark D.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
A system may include at least a first agent and a second agent, and the first agent may be coupled to receive a block signal generated by the second agent. The block signal is indicative of whether or not the second agent is capable of participating in transactions. The first agent initiates or inhi
A system may include at least a first agent and a second agent, and the first agent may be coupled to receive a block signal generated by the second agent. The block signal is indicative of whether or not the second agent is capable of participating in transactions. The first agent initiates or inhibits initiation of a transaction for which the second agent is a participant responsive to the block signal. The system may include additional agents, each configured to generate independent block signals. Other implementations may share block signals among two or more agents. For example, a memory block signal indicative of memory transactions being blocked or not blocked and an input/output (I/O) block signal indicative of I/O transactions being blocked or not blocked may be employed. In yet another implementation, a first agent may provide separate block signals to other agents.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A system comprising: a first agent having a first circuit to generate a first signal, wherein said first signal is indicative, in a first state, that said first agent is available to participate in subsequent transactions with a plurality of other agents on a bus, and wherein
What is claimed is: 1. A system comprising: a first agent having a first circuit to generate a first signal, wherein said first signal is indicative, in a first state, that said first agent is available to participate in subsequent transactions with a plurality of other agents on a bus, and wherein said first signal is indicative, in a second state, that said first agent is unavailable to participate in subsequent transactions with said plurality of said other agents; and a second agent having a second circuit coupled to receive said first signal from said first circuit, wherein when said second agent is to initiate a first transaction with said first agent, said second circuit to identify an address of said first transaction as related to said first agent and in response, said second circuit determines if said first signal from said first circuit is in said first or second state and said second agent to perform said first transaction with said first agent when said first signal is in said first state. 2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said second circuit inhibits said second agent from initiating said first transaction if said first signal is in said second state. 3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said first agent includes an internal cache to be snooped in response to said first transaction. 4. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said first agent includes a cache and said first transaction is a cacheable transaction for said cache. 5. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said second circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction by preventing arbitration for said bus on which said first transaction is to be transmitted. 6. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said second circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction by transmitting an invalid command if said second agent wins an arbitration for said bus on which said first transaction is to be transmitted. 7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first agent includes a queue to store a plurality of transactions and wherein said first or second state of said first signal is responsive to a number of free entries available in said queue. 8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said first signal generates said second state responsive to one or fewer free entries remaining in said queue. 9. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a third agent having a third circuit to generate a second signal in which a state of said second signal indicates availability of said third agent to participate in subsequent transactions with said plurality of agents on said bus and wherein said second circuit of said second agent is coupled to receive said second signal wherein said second circuit to identify an address of a second transaction from said second agent as related to said third agent and in response, determines if said second signal from said third circuit is in a state to allow said second agent to perform said second transaction. 10. The system as recited in claim 9 wherein said second circuit inhibits said second agent from initiating said second transaction if said second signal is in a state in which said third agent is not available for said second transaction. 11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein said first signal is indicative of whether or not a memory transaction is to be issued. 12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said second signal is indicative of whether or not an input/output transaction is to be issued. 13. An apparatus comprising: a storage device to store a first transaction to be performed with a first agent; and a circuit coupled to said storage device and also coupled to a bus to receive a first signal indicative of whether or not said first agent is available to participate in transactions initiated by one of a plurality of agents coupled to said bus, and wherein said circuit is included within a second agent, in which said circuit to identify an address of said first transaction as related to said first agent and in response, said circuit determines if said first signal indicates if said first agent is available and if said first agent is available, to perform said first transaction with said first agent. 14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction if said first signal indicates that said first agent is not available. 15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said circuit inhibits arbitration for said bus to initiate said first transaction if said first signal indicates that said first agent is unavailable. 16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said circuit performs an invalid command on said bus if said second agent wins an arbitration for said bus to initiate said first transaction, but said first signal indicates that said first agent is unavailable to participate in transactions with said plurality of agents on said bus, including said second agent. 17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said circuit decodes said address and performs a logical operation of a decoded signal with said first signal to generate a control signal to allow or not allow said first transaction. 18. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said storage device includes a queue to store a plurality of transactions to be initiated by said second agent. 19. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said circuit is coupled to receive a second signal indicative of whether or not a third agent is available to participate in transactions with said plurality of agents coupled on said bus, and wherein said circuit to inhibit initiation of a second transaction with said third agent, if said second signal indicates that said third agent is unavailable to participate in transactions. 20. A method comprising: receiving a first signal indicative of whether or not a first agent is available to participate in subsequent transactions with a plurality of agents coupled on a bus, including a second agent; identifying an address of a first transaction of said second agent as a transaction with said first agent; performing a logical operation of a decoded address signal of said first transaction with said first signal to generate a control signal; and inhibiting initiation of said first transaction by use of said control signal, if said first signal indicates that said first agent is unable to participate in said first transaction. 21. The method as recited in claim 20 further including performing said first transaction if said first agent includes an internal cache to be snooped in response to said first transaction and if said first agent is available. 22. The method as recited in claim 20 further including performing said first transaction if said first agent includes a cache and said first transaction is a cacheable transaction and if said first agent is available. 23. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said inhibiting includes inhibiting arbitration for a bus on which said first transaction is to be initiated. 24. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said inhibiting includes transmitting an invalid command on said bus, if an arbitration for said bus is won by said second agent to initiate said first transaction, but said first agent is unavailable. 25. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising: receiving a second signal indicative of whether or not a third agent is available to participate in subsequent transactions on the bus with said plurality of agents, including said second agent; and inhibiting initiation of a second transaction by said second agent to transact with said third agent if said second signal indicates that said third agent is unavailable to participate in transactions. 26. A carrier medium comprising a database which is operated upon by a program executable on a computer system, the program operating on the database to perform a portion of a process to fabricate an integrated circuit including circuitry described by the database, the circuitry described in the database including a system comprising: a first agent having a first circuit to generate a first signal, wherein said first signal is indicative, in a first state, that said first agent is available to participate in subsequent transactions with a plurality of other agents on a bus, and wherein said first signal is indicative, in a second state, that said first agent is unavailable to participate in subsequent transactions with said plurality of said other agents; and a second agent having a second circuit coupled to receive said first signal from said first circuit, wherein when said second agent is to initiate a first transaction with said first agent, said second circuit to identify an address of said first transaction as related to said first agent and in response, said second circuit determines if said first signal from said first circuit is in said first or second state and said second agent to perform said first transaction with said first agent when said first signal is in said first state. 27. The carrier medium as recited in claim 26 wherein said second circuit inhibits said second agent from initiating said first transaction if said first signal is in said second state. 28. The carrier medium as recited in claim 27 wherein said first agent includes an internal cache to be snooped in response to said first transaction. 29. The carrier medium as recited in claim 27 wherein said first agent includes a cache and said first transaction is a cacheable transaction for said cache. 30. The carrier medium as recited in claim 27 wherein said second circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction by preventing arbitration for said bus on which said first transaction is to be transmitted. 31. The carrier medium as recited in claim 27 wherein said second circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction by transmitting an invalid command if said second agent wins an arbitration for said bus on which said first transaction is to be transmitted. 32. The carrier medium as recited in claim 26 wherein said first agent includes a queue to store a plurality of transactions and wherein said first or second state of said first signal is responsive to a number of free entries available in said queue. 33. The carrier medium as recited in claim 32 wherein said first signal generates said second state responsive to one or fewer free entries remaining in said queue. 34. The carrier medium as recited in claim 26 wherein the system further comprises a third agent having a third circuit to generate a second signal in which a state of said second signal indicates availability of said third agent to participate in subsequent transactions with said plurality of agents on said bus and wherein said second circuit of said second agent is coupled to receive said second signal wherein said second circuit to identify an address of a second transaction from said second agent as related to said third agent and in response, determines if said second signal from said third circuit is in a state to allow said second agent to perform said second transaction. 35. The carrier medium as recited in claim 34 wherein said second circuit inhibits said second agent from initiating said second transaction if said second signal is in a state in which said third agent is not available for said second transaction. 36. The carrier medium as recited in claim 35 wherein said first signal is indicative of whether or not a memory transaction is to be issued. 37. The carrier medium as recited in claim 36 wherein said second signal is indicative of whether or not an input/output transaction is to be issued. 38. A carrier medium comprising a database which is operated upon by a program executable on a computer system, the program operating on the database to perform a portion of a process to fabricate an integrated circuit including circuitry described by the database, the circuitry described in the database including an apparatus comprising: a storage device to store a first transaction to be performed with a first agent; and a circuit coupled to said storage device and also coupled to a bus to receive a first signal indicative of whether or not said first agent is available to participate in transactions initiated by one of a plurality of agents coupled to said bus, and wherein said circuit is included within a second agent, in which said circuit to identify an address of said first transaction as related to said first agent and in response, said circuit determines if said first signal indicates if said first agent is available and if said first agent is available, to perform said first transaction with said first agent. 39. The carrier medium as recited in claim 38 wherein said circuit inhibits initiating said first transaction if said first signal indicates that said first agent is not available. 40. The carrier medium as recited in claim 39 wherein said circuit inhibits arbitration for said bus to initiate said first transaction if said first signal indicates that said first agent is unavailable. 41. The carrier medium as recited in claim 39 wherein said circuit performs an invalid command on said bus if said second agent wins an arbitration for said bus to initiate said first transaction, but said first signal indicates that said first agent is unavailable to participate in transactions with said plurality of agents on said bus, including said second agent. 42. The carrier medium as recited in claim 39 wherein said circuit decodes said address and performs a logical operation of a decoded signal with said first signal to generate a control signal to allow or not allow said first transaction. 43. The carrier medium as recited in claim 38 wherein said storage device includes a to store a plurality of transactions to be initiated by said second agent. 44. The carrier medium as recited in claim 38 wherein said circuit is coupled to receive a second signal indicative of whether or not a third agent is available to participate in transactions with said plurality of agents coupled on said bus, and wherein said circuit to inhibit initiation of a second transaction with said third agent, if said second signal indicates that said third agent is unavailable to participate in transactions.
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