Invention Grant
- Patent Title: System interface unit
- Patent Title (中): 系统接口单元
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Application No.: US11103319Application Date: 2005-04-11
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Publication No.: US07644221B1Publication Date: 2010-01-05
- Inventor: Paul G. Chan , Ricky C. Hetherington
- Applicant: Paul G. Chan , Ricky C. Hetherington
- Applicant Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Agency: Meyertons Hood Kivlin Kowert & Goetzel, P.C.
- Agent Rory D. Rankin
- Main IPC: G06F13/36
- IPC: G06F13/36

Abstract:
A processor including an integrated system interface unit configured to manage multiple I/O interfaces and multiple protocols. A processor includes a plurality of processing cores, a cache comprising a plurality of banks, and a system interface unit coupled to the processing cores and the cache. The system interface unit includes an inbound unit configured to receive inbound transactions from a first I/O unit and a second I/O unit, and an outbound unit configured to convey outbound transactions to either the first I/O unit or the second I/O unit. Each of the first and second I/O units is configured to support different protocols. Prior to conveying transaction data to the system interface, the first I/O unit and second I/O units reformat transaction data to conform to a common format. The system interface receives and stores transaction data in either queues dedicated for cacheable transactions or queues dedicated for non-cacheable transactions. In addition, each of the I/O units may also indicate in the common format whether a given transaction is to be ordered with respect to other transactions. The system interface may separately store ordered transactions from those which are non-ordered.
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