Abstract: A bus interface with resources to selectively optimize burst mode data transfers from one bus to another through an automated selection and generation of a cadence. In one form, the cadence is selected based upon memory access latency characteristics, the relative widths of the busses, and the relative clock frequencies of the busses. The selected cadence is provided as a pacing ready signal to the bus receiving the transferred data.

Abstract: A system and method for connecting a short word length memory to a significantly wider bus operated in an address/data multiplexing mode. A mode of operation is defined for the bus whereby the bus lines are divided for purposes of memory accessing into a data group and an address group. The data group is operable bidirectionally to read or write memory, using the addresses provided on the group of address lines. This architecture and practice is particularly suited for a boot ROM used with processors, in that such ROMs are normally of relatively short word length while the processors are of relatively long word length and are accordingly connected to buses of similar long word length. Bridge logic interfaces the processor bus to the ROM for sequencing, timing and supplemental control in converting the data from the ROM format to the processor format.