摘要:
An apparatus including a system bus coupled to an I/O interface which includes a pointer register and a rejecting circuit which determines whether a write to the pointer register will be accepted or rejected. The I/O interface is further coupled to at least one I/O bus having at least one I/O device connected thereto. The system bus is further coupled to a main memory and to a Central Processing Unit (CPU) which is capable of executing software instructions, providing a command structure corresponding to an access of an I/O device, and writing to the pointer register an address of a location in main memory of the command structure. The CPU further includes a hardware indicator responsive to the rejecting circuit for providing a status signal indicating the status of a write to the pointer register. The CPU executes the software in accordance with the status signal. The apparatus allows the software being executed by the CPU to software pend accesses to devices not directly connected to the system bus. This improves system performance over non-pended system buses and reduces the amount of hardware needed as compared to pended system buses.
摘要:
For efficiently handling data transactions between various system units (CPUs, I/O units and main memory units) in a multi-processor system, the system units are linked via a plurality of expandable crossbar modules, each providing a set of interconnections or well-defined mappings between the sets of input and output nodes, with each output being defined in terms of only one input. In addition to the nodes provided at the input and output sections, each crossbar module is also provided with discrete input and output expansion portions through which the module may be linked to other identically configured crossbar modules when additional nodes are to be integrated into the system. The expansion ports allow serial linking of crossbar modules so as to establish a connection between source and destination nodes which are spread across different crossbar modules. The serially-linked expansion ports realize direct mapping between all system nodes in the form of a two-stage network; the basic crossbar design remains the same and there is no need for the problematic redesign of crossbar modules for accommodating added data transfer nodes. The modular crossbar design is particularly adapted for use with different system configurations having different numbers of communication nodes and permits a system to be upgraded by adding communication nodes by using additional identically configured crossbar modules.
摘要:
A portable computer system such as a laptop computer, for example, includes a first processor that may execute instructions corresponding to application software during a first mode of operation. The portable computer system also includes a second processor that may execute the instructions during a second mode of operation. The first processor and the second processor may be heterogeneous processors. Further, operation of the first processor and the second processor in the first mode and the second mode may be dependent upon which of a plurality of system preferences have been selected.
摘要:
A portable computer system such as a laptop computer system includes a computing subsystem that includes a processor that may execute instructions that implement application software, and a storage coupled to the processor that may store information. The laptop computer system also includes a wireless subsystem that may communicate with a wireless network. In addition, the wireless subsystem may receive an incoming communication and determine whether a requesting user is an authorized user. The processor may retrieve at least a portion of the information from the storage and send the retrieved information to a destination via email, for example, in response to a request by the requesting user for the information.
摘要:
A microprocessor card having a microprocessor is connected to a predetermined pattern of resistors for providing a binary notation signature identifying the speed capability of the microprocessor and for adjusting the speed of the clock signals for the microprocessor. A motherboard having circuitry for recognizing the binary notation signature identifying the speed capability of a microprocessor is connected to the predetermined pattern of resistors. A series of latches latch the microprocessor speed identification into a logic and lookup table circuitry. The table circuitry looks up a binary notation signature correlating the motherboard speed capability with the speed capability of the particular microprocessor. This binary notation signature, which identifies the motherboard speed in relationship to the microprocessor speed, provides the binary notation signature on the resistors and overrides the microprocessor speed identification. A series of latches latch the motherboard identification signature to multiplier circuitry to cause the multiplier circuitry to adjust the speed of clock signals to the microprocessor appropriately for the motherboard.
摘要:
A memory device having a scalable bandwidth I/O data bus includes a semiconductor die having a substrate with a first and a second surface. The substrate includes contact pads arranged in rows across the first surface and across the second surface. The contact pads on one surface may be physically arranged in vertical alignment with a corresponding contact pad on the other surface and may be electrically coupled to the corresponding contact pad using a via. The substrate also includes a metallization layer formed on the second surface. The metallization layer includes external data contact pads each arranged in vertical alignment with a respective contact pad on the second surface. Each row of contact pads may be grouped, and the external contact pads within a group are electrically coupled to an adjacent contact pad on the second surface by effectively logically shifting to them to right one contact pad.
摘要:
In one embodiment, a system comprises a memory; a memory interface coupled to the memory; a processor unit coupled to the memory interface, a second interface coupled to the processor unit, and a graphics processing unit. The processor unit comprises at least one processor core and a display controller configured to couple to a display. The graphics processing unit is configured to render data into a frame buffer representing an image to be displayed on the display. The processor unit is configured to deactivate the second interface if the graphics processing unit is not rendering, and the display controller is configured to read the frame buffer data for display even if the second interface is deactivated.
摘要:
A portable computer system such as a laptop computer, for example, includes a first processor that may execute instructions corresponding to application software during a first mode of operation. The portable computer system also includes a second processor that may execute the instructions during a second mode of operation. The first processor and the second processor may be heterogeneous processors. Further, operation of the first processor and the second processor in the first mode and the second mode may be dependent upon which of a plurality of system preferences have been selected.
摘要:
A portable computer system such as a laptop computer, for example, includes a processor and a wireless module. The wireless module may establish a wireless connection to a wireless network and may receive video data such as an MBMS video stream, for example, via one or more wireless channels. The portable computer system also includes a first display and a second display. The second display having a lower resolution than the first display, may display first video images associated with the video data. Upon request by a user of the portable computer system, the wireless module may further receive enhancement video data via one or more additional wireless channels (e.g., side channels) of the wireless connection. The first display may display second video images associated with a combination of the video data and the enhancement video data. The second video images have a higher resolution than the first video images.
摘要:
A portable computer system such as a laptop computer, for example, includes a computing subsystem and a wireless subsystem. The computing subsystem includes a processor that may execute instructions that implement application software. The computing subsystem also includes a memory that is coupled to the processor and may be configured to store the instructions. The wireless subsystem includes a processing unit that may execute instructions and perform functions that are associated with providing a wireless connection to a wireless network such as a wireless telephone network. The processor may execute instructions that may configure and manage operation of the wireless subsystem.