Abstract: The present invention is directed to a transfer request block (TRB) cache system and method. A cache is used to store plural TRBs, and a mapping table is utilized to store corresponding TRB addresses in a system memory. A cache controller pre-fetches the TRBs and stores them in the cache according to the content of the mapping table.

Abstract: A memory management system and method include and use a cache buffer (such as a table look-aside buffer, TLB), a memory mapping table, a scratchpad cache, and a memory controller. The cache buffer is configured to store a plurality of data structures. The memory mapping table is configured to store a plurality of addresses of the data structures. The scratchpad cache is configured to store the base address of the data structures. The memory controller is configured to control reading and writing in the cache buffer and the scratchpad cache. The components are operable together under control of the memory controller to facilitate effective searching of the data structures in the memory management system.

Abstract: A Northbridge providing RAID access is coupled among a central processing unit, a system memory, and a Southbridge. Furthermore, the Northbridge further couples to a RAID through a Southbridge. The Northbridge include a RAID accelerator for performing RAID operations according to RAID control commands which are stored in a register.

Abstract: Included are systems and methods for reducing power consumption in a computer system. At least one embodiment of a method, among others, includes processing data in a normal mode, receiving an indication of a transition into an idle mode, capturing at least one frame of display data, and transmitting the captured frame of display data for display during idle mode.

Abstract: A method for utilizing the multi-channel transmission bandwidth in an asymmetrically arranged memory is provides. The present invention defines symmetrically arranged parts of the memory ranks of the memory as a virtual ranks. If data is stored in symmetrically arranged memory ranks of the memory, channels corresponding to the symmetrically arranged memory ranks could be simultaneously utilized to transfer data. If data is stored in an asymmetrically arranged memory rank of the memory, the channel corresponding to the asymmetrically arranged memory rank could only be utilized to transfer data.

Abstract: A data transmission coordinating method is used between a central processing unit and a bridge chip of a computer system. By entering the computer system into a coordinating state, the data transmission coordinating method is executed. The bridge chip and the CPU are informed of maximum bit numbers of each other for data transmission therebetween via the front side bus. Then, a commonly operable maximum bit number for data transmission between the CPU and the bridge chip can be coordinated according to the first and second maximum bit numbers. Once the commonly operable maximum bit number is determined, the CPU is reset to operate with the commonly operable maximum bit number. The maximum bit numbers are those of bus transmission width or bus transmission speed.

Abstract: Resuming from a sleep state. A request may received to resume operation of a computer system from a sleep state to an executing state. A restoring process may be initiated to restore the computer system to an executing state. The restoring process may include loading information from a nonvolatile memory medium to a computer system memory medium. A request may be received from a processor of the computer system to access the computer system memory medium. The request may require access to a portion of the computer system memory medium in the executing state, and may be received prior to completion of the restoring process. It may be determined if the portion of the computer system memory medium has been restored. If the portion of the computer system memory medium has not been restored, the portion of the computer system memory medium may be restored from the nonvolatile memory medium ahead of other portions in the restoring process.

Abstract: A power state management method of north bridge. The north bridge monitors power transition state of processor; then adjusting operating clocks and operating voltage of the processor and the main memory according to the determined power state to saving power consumption.

Abstract: A core logic coupled to a main memory of a computer, comprising an analyzer and a power management unit. The analyzer monitors access request traffic load of main memory. The power management unit employs various power performance trade-off activities with the knowledge of the monitored traffic load according to the state machine.

Abstract: The present computing system using PCI-E architecture includes at least one first PCI-E port, a first port-arbiter, a first URD logic, a microprocessor, a DARD logic and a device arbiter. The first port-arbiter receives a data from the first PCI-E port. The first URD logic is coupled to said first port-arbiter. The first URD logic includes an onboard range table and a PCI-E device range table for detecting the data of onboard access or peer-to-peer access. The microprocessor receives and processes the data from the first URD logic for said onboard access. The DARD logic receives the data from the microprocessor. The DARD logic decodes a device range of a downstream request of the data. The device arbiter is coupled to the DARD logic and the first URD logic for dispatching the data to one of the first PCI-E port.

Abstract: Method and related apparatus for internal data accessing of a computer system. In a computer system, a peripheral can issue accessing requests for system memory space with or without snooping the central processing unit (CPU). While serving a peripheral of single virtual channel utilizing a chipset supporting multiple virtual channels, the present invention assigns accessing requests to different processing queues according to their snooping/non-snooping attributes, such that reading/non-snooping requests are directly routed to a system memory. Also responses from system memory and CPU are buffered in the chipset respectively by utilizing buffer resources of different virtual channels. And by applying accessing routing dispatch, data accessing efficiency can be increased.

Abstract: An electronic system is provided, in which a smart chip, a smart chip controller, a processor, a system memory, and an access management module is provided. The smart chip controller communicates with the smart chip. The processor performs a mutual authentication with the smart chip. The system memory is accessible to the smart chip and the processor. The access management module is coupled between the processor and the smart chip controller. The access management module prevents the processor accessing a certain range of the system memory according to a block command from the smart chip controller, in response of that the mutual authentication between the processor and the smart chip is failed.

Abstract: Included are systems and methods for reducing power consumption in a computer system. At least one embodiment of a method, among others, includes processing data in a normal mode, receiving an indication of a transition into an idle mode, capturing at least one frame of display data, and transmitting the captured frame of display data for display during idle mode.

Abstract: A Northbridge providing RAID access is coupled among a central processing unit, a system memory, and a Southbridge. Furthermore, the Northbridge further couples to a RAID through a Southbridge. The Northbridge include a RAID accelerator for performing RAID operations according to RAID control commands which are stored in a register.

Abstract: A computer system having low-power operation includes a controller in communication with a first storage device and a second storage device. The controller can be configured to periodically retrieve dynamic frame data from a first storage device during a time period when the computer system is not in an idle state. During a time period when the computer system is in an idle state, the controller is configured to store static frame data into a second storage device, and repeatedly retrieve the static frame data from the second storage device to display an image represented by the static frame data during a time when the computer system continues to be in the idle state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data memory controller that supports for the invert of data bus. Data transmitted from a memory is received in a chip set, which further transmits the data to a data processing apparatus. While receiving the memory data, the chip set doubles the bandwidth and reduces the frequency, such that the time margin for processing data is increased. In addition, after outputting data to the data processing apparatus, a first frame of data is compared to bus idle state to further reduce frequency of data invert and power consumption.

Abstract: A data transmission coordinating method is used between a central processing unit and a bridge chip of a computer system. By entering the computer system into a coordinating state, the data transmission coordinating method is executed. The bridge chip and the CPU are informed of maximum bit numbers of each other for data transmission therebetween via the front side bus. Then, a commonly operable maximum bit number for data transmission between the CPU and the bridge chip can be coordinated according to the first and second maximum bit numbers. Once the commonly operable maximum bit number is determined, the CPU is reset to operate with the commonly operable maximum bit number. The maximum bit numbers are those of bus transmission width or bus transmission speed.

Abstract: A voltage monitoring circuit is capable of being integrated into a chip and monitoring the voltage quality. It mainly uses a first waveshaper to receive a voltage signal of a voltage source to be measured, process it to a logic signal, and output to a first logic level transformer. A first digital signal is transformed by the processing and can be recorded by a register such that a managing system can read content of the register through a bus to further determine whether the voltage source has a situation of voltage surge. Similarly, an inverter can be concatenated between a second waveshaper and a second logic level transformer to monitor whether the voltage source has undercurrent pulse. This way, an object of monitoring voltage quality in the chip with a combination of simple analog circuit can be achieved.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing a bridge circuit. The method includes inputting a first test clock to a first conversion unit for triggering the first conversion unit to transfer a test data to a second conversion unit according to rising edges of the first test clock, inputting a second test clock to the second conversion unit for triggering the second conversion unit to output an output data according to falling edges of the second test clock, and controlling the first test clock and the second test clock so that the rising edges of the second test clock are not synchronized to the rising edges of the first test clock. A frequency of the first test clock is an even multiple of a frequency of the second test clock.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for testing at least one physical link on a motherboard associated with an on-board PCI Express device. A test card is connected to an input/output port on the motherboard, wherein the test card has a PCI Express test device. A test pattern is transmitted from the test card to the PCI Express device and receiving a test result pattern by the test card from the PCI Express device through the physical link for testing thereof. The test result pattern is examined to determine defects of the physical link on the motherboard.