Patent Abstract:
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and system for selectively inhibiting access to a memory during a DMA block transfer. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes memory, a DMA engine, and logic configured so that when a control signal is asserted, the logic blocks the DMA engine&#39;s request for access to memory and generates an acknowledgment of the request, such that the DMA engine performs a DMA transfer without accessing data in memory.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. provisional patent application, issued Ser. No. 60/220,885, and filed Jul. 26, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to memory access in a computer system. More specifically, the invention relates to memory access during a DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many processor-based systems, it is advantageous to use specialized logic rather than the processor to move large amounts of data to and from memory, thus leaving the processor free to do other work. Such specialized logic units are known as DMA (Direct Memory Access) engines. A typical DMA engine is configured by the processor with a starting memory address, a transfer size, and direction (transfer to memory or transfer from memory), then given a “start transfer” signal. The engine then transfers an entire block of data to or from memory without further processor intervention. The engine may notify the processor with a “block complete” signal when the transfer is finished. 
     The engine typically uses a counter, initialized to the programmed transfer size, and a current address pointer, initialized to the starting memory address. The engine transfers one byte/word/dword to or from memory by generating the proper sequence of address, data and control signals (i.e. read or write) as required by memory. The address signals are generated from a current address register. The data signals may be generated by the engine, or may be generated externally and simply passed through by the engine. 
     After a byte/word/dword transfer, the engine advances the current address pointer and decrements the counter. If the counter is zero, the block transfer is finished and the block complete signal is given. If the counter is non-zero, the engine transfers the next byte/word/dword. 
     In some applications, especially data communications, the “block complete” signal provided by the DMA engine at the end of each block transfer is used by other logic units as a block-rate “clock” signal. Using DMA block complete as a block-rate clock is simpler than generating the clock from another source, such as the sampling clock. For this reason,it would be advantageous to keep the DMA engine transferring data at all times in order to make use of the block-rate clock. 
     However, in some data communications applications such as TDM (Time Division Multiplex), the data stream is not continuous, so that using the DMA engine to transfer data continuously would unnecessarily occupy memory and dissipate undue power. Thus, there is a need for an invention which allows continuous use of the DMA engine without unnecessarily occupying memory. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     To achieve various objects and advantages, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and system for blocking memory access during a DMA transfer. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes memory, a DMA engine, and logic configured so that when a control signal is asserted, the logic blocks the DMA engine&#39;s request for access to memory and generates an acknowledgment of the request, such that the DMA engine performs a DMA transfer without accessing data in memory. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that the DMA engine can be kept running continuously even when no data is available, so that the DMA engine&#39;s block complete output signal can be used by other parts of the system as a block-rate clock. Without this invention, continuous use of the DMA engine would unnecessarily occupy memory and dissipate undue power. Another advantage of the present invention is that it requires no modification to existing DMA engine designs. 
    
    
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional objects, features, and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments enumerated, but are for explanation and for better understanding only. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Finally, like reference numerals in the figures designate corresponding parts throughout the several drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a DMA engine as known in the prior art. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for blocking memory access during a DMA transfer, in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram similar to FIG. 2, but more particularly illustrating circuitry of DMA control logic, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Having summarized the invention above, reference is now made in detail to the description of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. While the invention will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed therein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Indeed, the present invention is believed to be applicable to a variety of systems, devices, and technologies. 
     Turning now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a DMA engine as known in the prior art. To initialize the DMA engine  10 , the microprocessor or other logic  20  (e.g. state machine) programs a StartAddress  111 , BlockSize  112  and TransferDirection  113  of the DMA engine  10 . After initialization, the microprocessor or other logic  20  asserts signal Start-Stop  114  to start a continuous transfer of blocks of size BlockSize  112 . 
     DMA engine  10  stores the start address in StartAddress register  120 , and initializes counter  130  with BlockSize. When Start-Stop  114  is asserted, sequencer  140  moves the contents of StartAddress register  120  to CurrentAddress register  150 . To transfer the first datum, DMA engine  10  requests access to memory  30  by asserting Req  160  and waiting for Ack  161  to be asserted. At that time, CurrentAddress register  150  is output to memory  30  as Address  162 , input Data  163  is passed through to output Data  164 , and TransferDirection  113  is used to drive output Read-Write  165 , thus transferring an element of data to or from memory  30 . Then counter  130  is decremented, sequencer  140  increments the address and updates CurrentAddress register  150 , and the sequence begins again to transfer the next datum. When counter  130  reaches zero, output BlockComplete  170  is asserted, and counter  130  signals sequencer  140  to reset the address from StartAddress register  120 , thus beginning another block-sized transfer using the original StartAddress  111 . 
     The operation of the DMA circuitry of FIG. 1, and the signaling of the memory  30  will be understood by persons skilled in the art. For this reason, the operation has been only summarily described above. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a block diagram of an apparatus for blocking memory access during a DMA transfer, in accordance with the present invention. DMA engine  10 , memory  30 , and the signals coupled to the memory  30  operate in the same manner as the illustrative prior art system of FIG.  1 . In accordance with the present invention, however, additional circuitry, illustrated in FIG. 2 as DMA control logic  200 , is added. This circuitry operates to inhibit memory reads and writes during a DMA transfer by altering the handshake signals between DMA engine  10  and memory  30  under the control of signal DisableRam  210  Signal DisableRam  210  can be supplied by the same microprocessor or logic  20  which programs DMA engine  10 , or by independent logic. Signal DisableRam  210  is asserted to inhibit memory reads and writes during a DMA transfer, and deasserted to allow memory reads and writes to occur normally. 
     The handshake signaling between DMA engine  10  and memory  30  works as follows. Before transferring a datum to or from memory  30 , DMA engine  10  first requests access to memory  30  by asserting ReqFromDma signal  220 . In the prior art (FIG. 1 ), this request signal was connected directly to memory  30 , but in one embodiment of the present invention, this signal is connected instead to DMA control logic  200 , which acts to block this signal from reaching memory  30  when DisableRam signal  210  is asserted. The handshake is complete when DMA engine  10  sees its input AckToDma signal  230  asserted. The DMA engine  10  completes the operation by updating CurrentAddress register  150  and counter  120 , but no data transfer takes place. In the prior art (FIG.  1 ), this acknowledge signal from DMA engine  10  was connected directly to memory  30 , but in one embodiment of the present invention, it is connected instead to DMA control logic  200 . Since the request from DMA engine  10  is blocked from reaching memory  30  when DisableRam signal  210  is asserted, memory  30  will not generate its AckFromMem signal  330 . DMA control logic  200  therefore generates a fake acknowledgement AckToDma signal  230  which is input to DMA engine  10 . 
     When DisableRam signal  210  is not asserted, the DMA control logic operates to pass through, unaltered, the request and acknowledge signals between DMA engine  10  and memory  30 , so that memory reads and writes do occur during a DMA transfer. In this mode of operation, ReqToMem signal  320  (input to memory  30 ) follows ReqFromDma  220  (output from DMA engine  10 ), and AckToDma  230  (input to DMA engine  10 ) follows AckFromMem  330  (output from memory  30 ). 
     Having described the top-level functional operation of the invention, reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a block diagram similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a preferred implementation of the circuitry for the DMA control logic. Specifically, the DMA control logic  200  includes logic block  240  and logic block  250 . Logic block  240  alters the request signal between DMA engine  10  and memory  30 , while logic block  250  alters the acknowledgement signal between DMA engine  10  and memory  30 . 
     Logic block  240  uses AND gate  241  in combination with inverter  242  to block ReqToMem  220  from reaching memory  30  when DisableRam signal  20  is asserted, while also allowing ReqToMem  220  to pass through unaltered when DisableRam signal  210  is deasserted. When DisableRam signal  210  is high (active), the output of AND gate  241  (which becomes ReqToMem  320 ) is low, even when DMA engine  10  asserts ReqToMem signal  220 . Logic block  250  finishes the memory access handshake, as described below. While DMA engine  10  operates as usual to generate address, data and read-write signals for memory  30 , no memory access will occur because memory  30  did not receive a request signal. 
     When DisableRam signal  210  is low (inactive), the output of AND gate  241  (which becomes ReqToMem  320 ) follows input ReqFromDma  220 . Logic block  250  then finishes the memory access handshake, as described below. Then DMA engine  10  operates as usual to transfer data, and memory access will occur because memory  30  did receive a request signal when DMA engine  10  asserted ReqToMem  220 . 
     Logic block  250  uses a combination of latch  251 , AND gate  252 , and OR gate  253  to generate AckToDma  230  when DisableRam signal  210  is asserted, after ReqToMem  220  has been asserted. Logic block  251  also allows AckFromMem  330  to pass through unaltered as AckToDma  230  when DisableRam signal  210  is deasserted. 
     In operation, when ReqFromDma  220  goes high, the signal is first latched in latch  251  then fed to AND gate  252 , whose other input is DisableRam signal  210 . When DisableRam signal  210  is high also, the output of AND gate  252  is high, and this passes through OR gate  253  to generate a high on AckToDma signal  230 . 
     This signal is seen by DMA engine  10  as an acknowledgment of the memory access request, and DMA engine  10  generates address, data and read-write signals for memory  30 . However, no memory access will occur because memory  30  did not receive a request signal. 
     Whenever DisableRam signal  210  is low (inactive), the output of AND gate  252  is low. Because this low output is an input to OR gate  253 , the output of OR gate  253  follows its other input, which is AckFromMem signal  330 . DMA engine  10  operates as usual when it sees this signal, and memory access will occur because memory  30  did receive a request signal. 
     It is emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of the implementations that are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the above-disclosed embodiments of the present invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the disclosure and present invention and protected by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6