Patent ID: 8108574

Claim:
Apparatus for data exchanges between a producer circuit and a consumer circuit, the apparatus external to both the producer circuit and the consumer circuit, the apparatus comprising: a first in first out (FIFO) memory having an output signal path coupled with an input signal path of the consumer circuit, the FIFO adapted to store information produced by the producer circuit for consumption by the consumer circuit; and translation logic having an input signal path coupled with an output signal path of the producer circuit and having an output signal path coupled with an input signal path of the FIFO, the translation logic adapted to translate data signals received from the producer circuit in a producer data format into a consumer data format for application to and storage in the FIFO, wherein the consumer circuit receives data in the consumer data format from the FIFO, wherein the consumer circuit support receipt of data signals from the FIFO only in the consumer data format, wherein the producer circuit generates data signals only in the producer data format, wherein the producer data format is different from the consumer data format, wherein the translation logic is further adapted to select the producer data format from a plurality of supported data formats in response to a selection signal generated by the producer circuit.