Patent ID: 6134607
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An apparatus for communicating data between a first device and a second device, comprising;in the first device, a first memory controller which writes data into a memory,in the second device, a second memory controller which reads data from the memory;a control channel for communicating from the first device to the second device an indication of an amount of data written into the memory by the first memory controller and for communicating from the second device to the first device an indication of the amount of data read from the memory by the second memory controller; andwherein the second memory controller reads data from the memory until the memory is empty as determined by the indicated amount of data written to the memory by the first memory controller and the amount of data read from the memory by the second memory controller;a third device having a third memory controller and connected to write data to the memory and a second control channel for communicating from the third device to the second device an indication of an amount of data written into the memory by the third memory controller and for communicating from the second device to the third device an indication of the amount of data read from the memory by the second memory controller;wherein the first device and the third device write data to separate portions of the memory; andwherein the second memory controller reads data from the memory for the third device until the memory for the third device is empty as determined by the indicated amount of data written to the memory by the third memory controller and the amount of data read from the 30 memory for the third device by the second memory controller.