Method, apparatus, and system for multi-line communication

Abstract

According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided in which one or more requests are received to transmit data between a first device and a second device via a bus having a plurality of data lines. A first number of data lines is assigned for data transmission from the first device to the second device and a second number of data lines is assigned for data transmission from the second device to the first device, based upon a set of rules. Data are transmitted from the first device to the second device using the first number of data lines and from the second device to the first device using the second number of data lines.

1 . A method comprising: 
 receiving one or more requests to transmit data between a first device and a second device via a link having a plurality of data lines;    assigning a first number of data lines for data transmission from the first device to the second device and a second number of data lines for data transmission from the second device to the first device, based upon a set of rules; and    transmitting data from the first device to the second device using the first number of data lines and from the second device to the first device using the second number of data lines.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more requests includes a request to transmit data from the first device to the second device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more requests includes a request to transmit data from the second device to the first device.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein assigning includes: 
 determining a particular rule from the set of rules based on one or more factors; and    determining the first number of data lines and the second number of data lines based on the particular rule determined.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the one or more factors are selected from the group consisting of a first factor corresponding to the type of the respective request, a second factor corresponding to the priority of the respective request, and a third factor corresponding to how much data waiting for transmission in a transmit queue associated with the respective device.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein assigning includes: 
 configuring the first number of data lines for data transmission from the first device to the second device; and    configuring the second number of data lines for data transmission from the second device to the first device.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein assigning includes: 
 determining if whether the one or more requests includes only a request to transmit data from the first device to the second device; and    if the one or more requests includes only a request to transmit data from the first device to the second device, assigning all data lines for data transmission from the first device to the second device.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein assigning includes: 
 determining if whether the one or more requests includes only a request to transmit data from the second device to the first device; and    if the one or more requests includes only a request to transmit data from the second device to the first device, assigning all data lines for data transmission from the second device to the first device.    
   
   
       9 . A method comprising: 
 determining whether a first component and a second component both request to transfer data to each other at the same time via a bus having a plurality of data lines;    if only the first component requests to transfer data to the second component, allocating all of the plurality of data lines for data transfer from the first component to the second component;    if only the second component requests to transfer data to the first component, allocating all of the plurality of data lines for data transfer from the second component to the first component; and    if both the first component and the second component request to transfer data to each other at the same time, allocating a first portion of the plurality of data lines for data transfer from the first component to the second component and a second portion of the plurality of data lies for data transfer from the second component to the first component, the first portion and the second portion being determined based upon one or more criteria.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the one or more criteria are selected from the group consisting of a first criterion corresponding to the type of the respective request, a second criterion corresponding to the priority of the respective request, and a third criterion corresponding to the depth of a transmit queue associated with the respective device.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein allocating includes: 
 applying a particular rule from a set of predetermined rules based upon the one or more criteria to determine the first portion and the second portion.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a first device;    a second device; and    a bus coupled to the first device and the second device, the bus having a plurality of data lines being used for data transfer between the first device and the second device, the direction of data flow for each data line being changeable based upon one or more factors corresponding to the demand to transfer data of each respective device.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the direction of data flow for each data line is set according a predetermined rule being selected based upon the one or more factors.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the one or more factors are selected from the group consisting of a first factor corresponding to the type of the respective request, a second factor corresponding to the priority of the respective request, and a third factor corresponding to how much data waiting for transmission in a transmit queue associated with the respective device.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein, if only the first device requests to transfer data to the second device, all data lines are set for the data flow direction from the first device to the second device.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein, if only the second device requests to transfer data to the first device, all data lines are set for the data flow direction from the second device to the first device.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein, if both the first and second devices request to transfer data at the same time, a number of data lines for each data flow direction is set based upon the one or more factors corresponding to the demand to transfer data for each respective device.  
   
   
       18 - 27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations including: 
 receiving one or more requests to transmit data between a first device and a second device via a bus having a plurality of data lines;    assigning a first number of data lines for data transmission from the first device to the second device and a second number of data lines for data transmission from the second device to the first device, based upon a set of rules; and    transmitting data from the first device to the second device using the first number of data lines and from the second device to the first device using the second number of data lines.    
   
   
       29 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 28  wherein assigning includes: 
 determining a particular rule from the set of rules based on one or more factors; and    determining the first number of data lines and the second number of data lines based on the particular rule determined.    
   
   
       30 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 29  wherein the one or more factors are selected from the group consisting of a first factor corresponding to the type of the respective request, a second factor corresponding to the priority of the respective request, and a third factor corresponding to how much data waiting for transmission in a transmit queue associated with the respective device.