Abstract: A direct memory access (DMA) circuit (200) includes a read port (202) and a write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) is a multithreaded initiator with “m” threads on the read port (202) and “n” threads on the write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) includes two decoupled read and write contexts and schedulers (302, 304) that provide for more efficient buffering and pipelining. The schedulers (302, 304) are mainly arbitrating between channels at a thread boundary. One thread is associated to one DMA service where a service can be a single or burst transaction. The multithreaded DMA transfer allows for concurrent channel transfers.

Abstract: A direct memory access (DMA) circuit (200) includes a read port (202) and a write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) is a multithreaded initiator with “m” threads on the read port (202) and “n” threads on the write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) includes a data FIFO (210) which is shared by all of the logical channels and the FIFO depth can be allocated dynamically allowing for the maximum number of channels to be scheduled and concurrently active. The FIFO (210) can also be allocated to a single channel if there is only one logical channel active. The FIFO (210) increases the DMA's transfer performance, pre-fetch capacity and buffering, while maximizing pipelining.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the power consumption of a direct memory access (DMA) controller. A preferred method, for example, comprises: queuing a first DMA request in a queue; responding to the first queued DMA request when the computer system resources necessary for a DMA transfer are available; and placing at least some components of the computer system into a reduced power consumption state when the computer system resources necessary for the DMA transfer are not available.

Abstract: A direct memory access (DMA) circuit (200) includes a read port (202) and a write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) is a multithreaded initiator with “m” threads on the read port (202) and “n” threads on the write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) includes a data FIFO (210) which is shared by all of the logical channels and the FIFO depth can be allocated dynamically allowing for the maximum number of channels to be scheduled and concurrently active. The FIFO (210) can also be allocated to a single channel if there is only one logical channel active. The FIFO (210) increases the DMA's transfer performance, pre-fetch capacity and buffering, while maximizing pipelining.

Abstract: A direct memory access (DMA) circuit (200) includes a read port (202) and a write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) is a multithreaded initiator with “m” threads on the read port (202) and “n” threads on the write port (204). The DMA circuit (200) includes two decoupled read and write contexts and schedulers (302, 304) that provide for more efficient buffering and pipelining. The schedulers (302, 304) are mainly arbitrating between channels at a thread boundary. One thread is associated to one DMA service where a service can be a single or burst transaction. The multithreaded DMA transfer allows for concurrent channel transfers.