Patent ID: 6014722
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A data processing system, comprising:a plurality of communications channels, wherein:each of the plurality of communications channels comprises a corresponding one of a plurality of data buffers,each of the plurality of data buffers stores a plurality of data values,each of the plurality of communications channels corresponds to one of a plurality of priority values, andeach of the plurality of data buffers corresponds to one of a plurality of emergency threshold values;a plurality of service request circuits for providing a corresponding plurality of service request signals, wherein:each of the plurality of service request circuits corresponds to one of the plurality of communications channels, andeach of the plurality of service request signals is selectively asserted when the corresponding one of the plurality of communications channel has data values to transmit;a plurality of emergency signal circuits for providing a corresponding plurality of emergency request signals, wherein:each of the plurality of emergency signal circuits corresponds to one of the plurality of communications channels, andeach of the plurality of emergency request signals is selectively asserted when a first level of data stored in a corresponding one of the plurality of data buffers is greater than a corresponding one of the plurality of emergency threshold values; anda priority logic circuit coupled to each of the plurality of service request circuits for receiving each of the plurality of service request signals and coupled to each of the plurality of emergency signal circuits for receiving each of the plurality of emergency request signals, the priority logic circuit comparing each of the plurality of emergency request signals and each of the plurality of service request signals to provide a priority signal which indicates one of the plurality of communications channels with which a next one of the plurality of data values should be communicated.