Abstract: The present invention comprises a smart retry system for a PCI (peripheral component interconnect) agent in a PCI bus system. The system of the present invention includes an initiator PCI agent, a retry identification register, and a completion counter. The initiator PCI agent is adapted to couple to a PCI bus and communicate with a target PCI agent via the PCI bus by initiating a data transaction. The retry identification register is coupled to the initiator PCI agent. The retry identification register is adapted to store a target address and a transaction type corresponding to the target PCI agent when the target PCI agent issues a retry to the initiator PCI agent. The completion counter is coupled to the initiator PCI agent and is adapted to measure a latency period of the target PCI agent.

Abstract: A predictive arbitration system for interfacing a plurality of peripheral component interconnect (PCI) agents coupled to a first PCI bus with a second PCI bus. In one embodiment, the present predictive arbitration system includes a first PCI bus adapted to transmit data signals. A plurality of PCI agents are coupled to the first PCI bus. A predictive arbiter is coupled to both the first PCI bus and a second PCI bus. The predictive arbiter is also coupled to the plurality of PCI agents. The predictive arbiter is configured to receive requests for access to the first or second PCI bus from any of the plurality of PCI agents. The predictive arbiter, upon receiving requests for access, transmits one of the requests to a second arbiter coupled to the second PCI bus, wherein the selected and transmitted request originates from a selected one of the plurality of PCI agents. The predictive arbiter is also adapted to receive a grant signal from the second arbiter in response to the selected and transmitted request.

Abstract: A system and method for determining which of plurality of peripheral components will have access to a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus when none of the plurality of peripheral components is currently requesting access to the PCI bus. In one embodiment a history buffer records all requests by a plurality of peripheral components for access to the PCI bus. The present invention then determines which of the plurality of peripheral components requests access to the PCI bus most often. Next, the present invention grants the peripheral component which requests access to the PCI bus most often access to the PCI bus when no other peripheral component is requesting access to the PCI bus. In so doing, the present invention "parks" the PCI bus on the peripheral component which has, in the past, requested access to the PCI bus most often.