Abstract: In a system which includes a common bus to which a plurality of units are connected for the transfer of information, such as a data processing system, information may be transferred by the highest priority unit during an asynchronously generated bus transfer cycle. Logic is provided for enabling a first unit, such as a central processor, to make a multiple fetch request of a second unit, such as a memory, during a first transfer cycle. The multiple fetch request requests the second unit to transfer multiple parts of data to the first unit during multiple further transfer cycles, wherein one part of data is transferred in each further transfer cycle. Logic is provided in the second unit to enable the second unit to indicate to the first unit, except during the last further transfer cycle, that each further transfer cycle will be followed by another further transfer cycle.

Abstract: In a system which includes a common bus to which a plurality of units are connected for the transfer of information, such as a data processing system, information may be transferred by the highest priority requesting unit during an asynchronously generated bus transfer cycle. Logic is provided for enabling a multiple fetch operation in which the master unit requesting multiple words of information from the slave unit during a first bus transfer cycle may receive such information from the slave unit during a series of later slave generated bus cycles. Logic is provided for enabling any other units to communicate over the common bus during the time between the first cycle and such last cycle during which the slave unit responds, thereby enabling at least two pairs of units to communicate with each other respectively, in an interleaved manner.

Abstract: A data processing unit's request to a data processing device for the transfer of control and processing of an operation in response to an instruction from the unit, is stalled by the device, dependent on the type of instruction, for a period of time, also dependent on the type of instruction, until the device is ready to process such operation. A shift register arrangement is used in the device, which, dependent on the indicia stored therein, which indicia are appropriately loaded in such register dependent on the type of instruction, is used to delay a response to the unit by requesting the unit to make another request to the device to process the operation called for by the instruction.

Abstract: A final effective address of an operand is generated in a microprogrammed data processing system by use of a base address register which may include an unindexed address, an index register which may include an indexed address value, an instruction register which may include an instruction word, which instruction word provides control over the addressing of a control store dependent upon the state of a selected one of a plurality of test conditions. One of the test conditions indicating whether some of the addressing values used in the generation of the effective address are in a short address format or in a long address format. The address control store word provides signals for controlling the operation of the system, including the branch in between such major operations as instruction fetching, addressing, reading, writing, and execution as well as branching between minor operations which are included in the major operations.

Abstract: In a system which includes a common bus to which a plurality of units are connected for the transfer of information, such as a data processing system, information may be transferred during asynchronously generated information transfer cycles. Logic is provided for enabling a first unit to transfer first information to a second unit during a first request transfer cycle requesting that the second unit transfer second information to the first unit during a later first response transfer cycle. Logic is also provided to enable the first unit to transfer third information to a third unit during a second request transfer cycle requesting that the third unit transfer fourth information to the first unit during a later second response transfer cycle. Logic is provided that enable the first unit to transfer the third information before receiving the second information and logic is further provided that enables the first unit to receive the second information before or after receiving the fourth information.

Abstract: Data is transferred between a main memory in a data processing system and communication channels under the control of communications control blocks provided in an auxiliary memory, each of which control blocks includes a starting address, range and status information so as to enable the transfer of data to data blocks included in the main memory as indicated by the starting address in the control blocks. A predetermined number of control blocks is allocated in the auxiliary memory for each communications channel and the transfer of all such data is performed utilizing as many of the predetermined number of control blocks as required for the channel until the transfer is complete as indicated by the last such control block utilized in the transfer. Control blocks are loaded in the auxiliary memory under control of the central processor of the system and are periodically accessed by the processor to determine the status of data transfer operations.

Abstract: Data transfer synchronization is achieved in a data processing system by a transferring unit enabling a clock cycle stall mechanism each time a transfer is attempted, disabling such mechanism upon receipt of a predetermined response from the receiving unit, the mechanism actually producing a clock cycle stall if such predetermined response is delayed beyond the duration of the clock cycle. Further, such stall mechanism is enabled in a receiving unit before the expected receipt of information, and actually produces a clock cycle stall if such response is so delayed.

Abstract: In a data processing system which includes a common bus to which a plurality of units are connected for the transfer of information, information may be transferred by the highest priority requesting unit during an asynchronously generated bus transfer cycle. Logic is provided for enabling a split bus cycle operation in which the master unit requesting information from the slave unit during a first bus transfer cycle may receive such information from the slave unit during a later slave generated bus transfer cycle. Means are provided for enabling any other units to communicate over the common bus during the time between the first cycle and such later cycle during which the slave unit responds, thereby enabling at least two pairs of units to communicate with each other respectively in an interleaved manner.

Abstract: In a data processing system having a plurality of units coupled for the transfer of information therebetween over a common electrical bus during asynchronously generated information bus transfer cycles, the units are coupled in a priority network and depending upon their respective priority may gain access to the bus before a lower priority unit is so enabled. Each one of the units includes apparatus for responding to a request for the transfer of information from another unit by providing any one of up to three signal responses including a positive acknowledge signal indicating an immediate response, a negative acknowledge signal indicating that the unit will most likely be busy for a relatively extended period of time and a quasi-negative response indicating that the unit will probably be ready during the next asynchronously generated bus transfer cycle.