Abstract: A method and implementing system are provided which includes a DMA controller coupled to a slave bus controller through a processor local bus. The slave bus controller is also coupled to a memory unit. The memory unit is connected directly to a peripheral device. The DMA controller is arranged to receive a data transfer request from the peripheral unit and initiate a transfer cycle with the slave bus controller. The slave bus controller is selectively operable to assert a transfer signal to the memory unit which enables data movement directly between memory and the peripheral device in accordance with the request from the peripheral device. Upon completion of the address transfer and prior to the completion of the data transfer, the slave bus controller generates a transfer complete signal back to the peripheral device. This technique allows for a DMA FlyBy transfer to be overlapped with a subsequent processor local bus transfer.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 20, 1997
Date of Patent:
April 25, 2000
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors:
Jeffrey Todd Bridges, Edward Hammond Green, III, Richard Gerard Hofmann, David Otero, Mark Michael Schaffer, Dennis Charles Wilkerson