Patent ID: 6058447
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A handshake circuit for usage in a computer system that generates a plurality of dynamic signals in self-resetting signal paths having a signal indicative of whether none of the plurality of dynamic signals in the self-resetting signal paths have occurred, the handshake circuit comprising:a dynamic differential comparator for generating said signal indicative of whether none of the plurality of dynamic signals in the self-resetting signal paths occurred, wherein the dynamic differential comparator includes:a) a first line and a second line;b) a plurality of individual-bit comparison devices coupled to the first line;c) a timing device coupled to the second line; andd) a differential amplifier having a first input terminal coupled to the first line, a second input terminal coupled to the second line;a first signal generation circuit coupled to the dynamic differential comparator that generates a ""normal operation"" signal when said plurality of dynamic signals in the self-resetting signal paths occurred; anda second signal generation circuit coupled to the dynamic differential comparator that generates a ""reset"" signal when none of the plurality of dynamic signals in the self-resetting signal paths occurred;the dynamic differential comparator is coupled to a clock line, a tag data line, a cache data line, and a data signal occurrence line for plurality of data paths; whereinthe first signal generation circuit further includes a logic for detecting data signals on the clock line the data t the cache data line, the data signal occurrence line for the plurality of data paths in combination and, in response, generating the ""normal operation"" signal; andthe second signal generation circuit further includes a logic for detecting said data signals on the clock line the data line, the cache data line and the data signal occurrence line for the plurality of data paths in combination and, in response, generating the ""reset"" signal.