摘要:
This invention relates to a protocol implemented in a communication system for exchanging data and control messages between adapters to which are attached different users, and a shared memory subsystem comprising a depository storage, a manager of storage and a microprocessor. Such protocol enables the adapters to be the initiators of the transmission and reception of data by using the control lines that connect the manager of storage to all adapters in the same way as the data bus and the address bus. Moreover, the adapters slice the messages into data bursts to which are associated control words specifying the sizes, the owner and the position of the burst in the message. Consequently, those data bursts may be interleaved when transiting on the data bus without the intervention of the microprocessor for the routing, and they will be stored in or read from the depository storage according to the identification of the user in the control word. Therefore, only the shared memory needs to have a high capacity of storage, whereas the manager of storage and the adapters can operate with a reduced capacity of storage, and the time to send or to access a data burst is much more improved.
摘要:
The subject distribution mechanism is used in a communication system comprising a plurality of interfaces, (10, 11 ans 12) with each interface connected to at least one user and able to receive and transmit information to said user(s) through information carrying means. It allows communications to be established between users selected by a central control unit (7) in a programmable way. The distribution mechanism comprises: in each interface, scheduling means responsive to a common timing signal having a period T, to divide the period into n slot periods having a slot number, n being the number of users connected to that interface to which the maximum number of users are connected, a configuration table (18) comprising n locations, each location assigned to a slot period, the central control unit writing in each location communication control information, said table being addressed by the slot numbers generated by the scheduling means to read and make available, the communication control information, distribution buffer means (20) comprising at least a first and a second part, each part having n addressable locations, addressed by means of addressing means responsive to the communication control information provided by the configuration table during each slot period to cause each interface involved in the to be established communications during that slot period, to write the information to be transmitted in one part of the distribution buffer and the information to be received by the interface to be read from the other part of the distribution buffer at addresses derived from the communication control information and the slot number generated by the scheduling means.