Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus or expansion bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Various multimedia devices are coupled to one or more of the expansion bus and/or the multimedia bus. The multimedia bus is preferably time sliced wherein time slices or time slots are allocated in proportion to the required bandwidth. Each multimedia device includes programmable time slotting logic which determines the appropriate time slot. In one embodiment, the time slices are each a constant size and a number of the equal sized time slots are allocated to respective data streams in proportion to the required bandwidth. Alternatively, the time slots are dynamically sized or allocated to data streams in proportion to the required bandwidth.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems. In various embodiments, multimedia devices transmit addressing and control information for a multimedia bus transfer either over the PCI bus or using a separate serial control channel. The multimedia bus may also comprise separate multimedia channels for different data types.

Abstract: A computer system and method optimized for real-time multimedia applications are presented. The computer system, including a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to a real-time data cache, provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The multimedia engine includes at least one DSP engines which couple through at least one I/O channels to I/O ports. Obtaining multimedia commands and data from main memory and/or the real-time data cache, the multimedia engine performs a number of multimedia operations including audio and video functions. A CPU, coupled through a chip set logic or bridge logic to the main memory, generates multimedia commands and data. The CPU groups multimedia commands and data into separate command and data elements, and writes the command and data elements to a multimedia address space in main memory. The CPU also writes element structure information to the multimedia address space.

Abstract: A computer system and method for transferring multimedia commands and data to a dedicated multimedia engine and/or multimedia memory, wherein the multimedia engine provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video function, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP engines. The CPU writes video and/or audio commands and data to the main memory. The CPU also preferably writes data structure information to the DMA engine which includes the main memory address where the commands and data reside. The DMA engine uses this information to retrieve the commands and data from main memory into the multimedia memory. The DMA engine preferably operates concurrently with the multimedia engine, thus allowing for improved performance.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard and include connector slots for receiving add-in cards. Multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems. In various embodiments, multimedia devices transmit addressing and control information for a multimedia bus transfer either over the PCI bus or using a separate serial control channel. The multimedia bus may also comprise separate multimedia channels for different data types.

Abstract: A computer system including separate digital and analog system chips which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The computer system of the present invention includes a digital system chip which performs various digital functions, including multimedia functions and chipset functions, and a separate analog chip which performs analog functions, including digital to analog and analog to digital conversions. Thus the present invention optimizes silicon use and design by splitting up digital and analog functions on separate chips. The system of the present invention also separates digital noise from analog noise, allowing a higher degree of integration while increasing stability.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard. One or more PCI devices or multimedia devices are comprised on the motherboard and are coupled to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. In one embodiment, the motherboard includes PCI bus and multimedia bus connector slots for receiving add-in cards. In this embodiment, multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard and include connector slots for receiving add-in cards. Multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system including separate digital and analog system chips which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The computer system of the present invention includes a digital system chip which performs various digital functions, including multimedia functions and chipset functions, and a separate analog chip which performs analog functions, including digital to analog and analog to digital conversions. Thus the present invention optimizes silicon use and design by splitting up digital and analog functions on separate chips. The system of the present invention also separates digital noise from analog noise, allowing a higher degree of integration while increasing stability.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus or expansion bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Various multimedia devices are coupled to one or more of the expansion bus and/or the multimedia bus. The computer system includes a dedicated or centralized I/O processor coupled to one or more of the expansion bus and/or the multimedia bus which operates to direct or pull stream information through the system. The centralized I/O processor comprises a memory for storing data rate, data periodicity, data source, and data destination information for the multimedia devices. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems. In various embodiments, multimedia devices transmit addressing and control information for a multimedia bus transfer either over the PCI bus or using a separate serial control channel. The multimedia bus may also comprise separate multimedia channels for different data types. In various embodiments, methods transfer periodic multimedia data over the multimedia bus.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes one or more DSP engines which couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. Multimedia memory is coupled to the local memory bus and stores data for the multimedia engine. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Abstract: A computer system including a plurality of multimedia devices each having a high-speed memory data channel for accessing system memory. Each multimedia device has a high speed link directly to system memory, which is preferably single or multiple ported memory. These individual links are preferably high speed serial interconnects but, alternatively, may be 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit or any combination thereof. In this embodiment, intelligent buffering is preferably implemented within the core logic, and arbitration for access to main memory is preferably implemented within the core logic. Each of the multimedia devices uses its dedicated memory data channel to perform data accesses and transfers directly to the main memory, bypassing PCI bus arbitration and PCI bus cycles. Alternatively, each of the multimedia devices includes a high speed memory channel directly to the memory controller in the core logic for accessing system memory.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus or expansion bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Various multimedia devices are coupled to one or more of the expansion bus and/or the multimedia bus. The computer system expansion bus implements a new mode of operation specifically for real-time transfers. A real time signal is used to indicate that the expansion bus should be placed in a special real time mode. When not in special real time mode, the expansion bus operates as usual. The real time mode is optimized for the transfer of high bandwidth real-time information. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP (digital signal processor) engines. The DSP engines may comprise either dedicated audio or video engines or general purpose DSP engines. The DSP engines couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a computer system and method optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine and dedicated multimedia memory coupled directly to the main memory. The computer system includes a data path to the main memory and the multimedia memory, and includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine. In one embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path through the chipset logic to the multimedia engine. In an alternate embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine through the PCI bus. In this alternate embodiment, the multimedia engine includes a PCI interface which couples to the PCI bus. The multimedia engine executes commands and data from the multimedia memory to perform a number of real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others.

Abstract: A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local system bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems. In various embodiments, multimedia devices transmit addressing and control information for a multimedia bus transfer either over the PCI bus or using a separate serial control channel. The multimedia bus may also comprise separate multimedia channels for different data types. Methods are also disclosed for transferring periodic multimedia data over the multimedia bus.