Patent ID: 6078587
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: G09G

Abstract:
A method for simultaneously transferring data from a plurality of data packets via a data path utilizing a transfer buffer including a target information buffer for specifying targets within a locus of permissible locations, a mask information buffer, and a data buffer, wherein each of the plurality of data packets includes multi-byte packet data, mask information indicating which bytes multi-byte packet data contain valid data, and target information, the method comprising the steps of:initializing the target information buffer using target information from a first data packet of the plurality of data packets to define a locus of permissible target locations;initializing the mask information buffer using mask information from a first data packet of the plurality of data packets to indicate locations in the data buffer storing valid data;storing only packet data from the first data packet within the data buffer;utilizing target information stored in the target buffer and target information from a next data packet in the plurality of data packets to indicate whether target data from the next packet targets a location within the locus of permissible locations and can be coalesced in the data buffer with packet data from the first data packet;utilizing mask information stored in said mask information buffer and mask information from a next packet in the plurality of data packets to assert a write enable signal indicating that packet data from the next data packet would not overwrite valid packet data stored in the data buffer and in response to an indication that data from the next packet is within the locus of permissible locations;storing only packet data from the next data packet within the data buffer in response to assertion of the write enable signal; andtransferring the stored, coalesced, packet data from the data buffer as a group onto the data path.