Patent ID: 7076587

Claim:
A buffer management system comprising: a plurality of requestors each having an output for a request signal; a resource having a plurality of outputs for a request completed signals; and an arbiter having: a plurality of memory elements, each having: an input coupled to one of said plurality of outputs for a request completed signals, reset input for an arbiter reset signal, an output for providing a mask signal in response to inputs of the memory element; a plurality of masking circuits, each having a first input coupled to a corresponding output for providing a mask signal, a second input coupled to a corresponding output for a request signal; and an output for generating a masked request signal; a priority encoder for asserting one of a plurality of acknowledgement signals to one of the plurality of requesters; and a reset generator having a plurality of inputs coupled to the plurality of masking circuits for asserting said reset signal when no masked request signals are asserted.