Split transaction protocol for a bus system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9600436-B2
Application number	US-201414174020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2014
Priority date	Jul 27, 1999
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for communicating between a host and an agent. The method includes the step of performing a first transaction between a host controller and a hub. The hub is operable to perform a single transaction with an agent based on the first transaction. The method then includes the step of performing a second transaction between the host controller and the hub. The second transaction is based on the single transaction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller hub comprising:
an upstream port to receive a start split transaction to indicate a beginning of a transfer, the upstream port to operate at a high speed;
a downstream port that is capable to operate at a low-speed, the downstream port to transmit an in token, to receive data, and to provide an acknowledgement in response to the receipt of the data, wherein the token includes a transfer type and a data rate identification; and
a buffer to buffer the data from the downstream port and send the data to the upstream port after a speed conversion from the low-speed to the high-speed, the upstream port to transmit a complete split transaction in response to receiving the data.

2. The controller hub of claim 1 , wherein the upstream port is to operate in accordance with a first protocol, and the downstream port is to operate in accordance with a second protocol.

3. The controller hub of claim 1 , wherein a second transaction is initiated while the data is buffered.

4. The controller hub of claim 1 , wherein the controller hub is coupled with a game machine.

5. The controller hub of claim 1 , wherein the controller hub is coupled with a display.

6. A controller hub comprising:
an upstream port to send a start split transaction to indicate a beginning of a transfer and data, the host interface to operate at a high speed;
a downstream port that is capable to operate at a low-speed, the downstream port to receive an out token and the data, wherein the token includes a transfer type and a data rate identification; and
a buffer to buffer the data from the upstream port and send the data to the downstream port after a speed conversion from the high-speed to the low-speed, the upstream port to transmit a complete split transaction and the out token in response to an acknowledgment at the downstream port.

7. The controller hub of claim 6 , wherein the upstream port is to operate in accordance with a first protocol, and the downstream port is to operate in accordance with a second protocol.

8. The controller hub of claim 6 , wherein a second transaction is initiated while the data is buffered.

9. The controller hub of claim 6 , wherein the controller hub is coupled with a game machine.

10. The controller hub of claim 6 , wherein the controller hub is coupled with a display.

11. A host controller, wherein the host controller is to issue a split transaction and complete split transaction, wherein the split transaction and complete split transaction include at least a token phase including a transfer type and a data rate identification, and the complete split transaction communicates buffered information to the host controller and the buffered information is received at the host controller at a different data rate than it is to be sent to a buffer.

12. The host controller of claim 11 , wherein the host controller initiates a second transaction before receiving the buffered information.

13. The host controller of claim 11 , wherein the host controller is coupled to a controller hub.

14. The host controller of claim 11 , wherein the buffered information is to be stored at the controller hub.

15. The host controller of claim 11 , wherein the split transaction includes a first transaction and a second transaction.

16. The host controller of claim 15 , wherein the first transaction is performed at a first communication speed or in accordance with a first protocol, and the second transaction is performed at a second communication speed or in accordance with a second protocol.

17. The host controller of claim 11 , wherein the host controller is a component of a game machine.

18. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code to direct a processor to:
receive a start split transaction and a token at an upstream port to indicate a beginning of a data transfer, wherein the upstream port is to operate at a high speed;
send the token at low-speed to a downstream port, wherein the token includes a transfer type and a data rate identification; and
transfer data to or from the downstream port, wherein the token or the data is buffered.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the upstream port is to operate in accordance with a first protocol, and the downstream port is to operate in accordance with a second protocol.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the upstream port is to operate at a first communication speed, and the downstream port is to operate at a second communication speed.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Garney John I
• Howard John S

Classifications

• G06F13/426

  using an embedded synchronisation, e.g. Firewire bus, Fibre Channel bus, SSA bus · CPC title

• G06F2213/4002

  Universal serial bus hub with a single upstream port · CPC title

• H04L12/40058

  Isochronous transmission · CPC title

• G06F13/42 Primary

  Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation · CPC title

• H04L12/40123

  Interconnection of computers and peripherals (printer information exchange with computer G06F3/1293) · CPC title