Scalable Bus Structure

Abstract

A method of communicating over a bus is disclosed and includes transmitting a first data type in a first type field over a first sub-channel of a transmit channel of the bus while concurrently transmitting a second data type in a second type field over a second sub-channel of the transmit channel of the bus. The method also includes receiving data over a receive channel of the bus while transmitting the first data type and the second data type over the transmit channel.

1 . A method of communicating over a bus, the method comprising:
 transmitting a first data type in a first type field over a first sub-channel of a transmit channel of the bus while concurrently transmitting a second data type in a second type field over a second sub-channel of the transmit channel of the bus; and   receiving data over a receive channel of the bus while transmitting the first data type and the second data type over the transmit channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the first data type and the second data type further comprises transmitting address information, control information, or data information, wherein the address information comprises read or write address information, the control information comprises read or write control signals, and the data information comprises write data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a signal indicative of out of order data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the signal indicative of out of order data includes a transfer tag communicated over the receive channel of the bus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving first return data over a first sub-channel of a receive channel of the bus and receiving second return data over a second sub-channel of the receive channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising concurrently receiving data over the receive channel of the bus and transmitting multiple data types over at least one of the first sub-channel of the transmit channel of the bus and the second sub-channel of the transmit channel of the bus. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a payload over the receive channel and receiving a transfer tag that identifies the payload over the receive channel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a third data type over a third sub-channel of the transmit channel. 
     
     
         9 . A method of communicating data, the method comprising:
 during a first time period, communicating first data over a first number of sub-channels of a transmit channel to a receiving component; and   during a second time period, communicating second data over a second number of sub-channels of the transmit channel to the receiving component;   wherein the first number of sub-channels and the second number of sub-channels are independently selectable from each other, wherein the second number of sub-channels is selectable from a total number of sub-channels available for transmission, and wherein each sub-channel is operable to carry address information, control signals, and write data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first number of sub-channels is different than the second number of sub-channels. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second number of sub-channels is selectable based on performance requirements of an application. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a first width of each of the first number of sub-channels is different than a second width of each of the second number of sub-channels. 
     
     
         13 . A method of communicating data, the method comprising:
 determining a first number of sub-channels of a transmit channel that are available for transmission of data from a sending component to a receiving component;   determining a second number of sub-channels of a receive channel that are available for transmission of data from the receiving component to the sending component;   sending data concurrently over each of the first number of sub-channels; and   receiving data concurrently communicated over each of the second number of sub-channels.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising dynamically changing the first number of sub-channels or the second number of sub-channels in response to a traffic condition of the transmit channel. 
     
     
         15 . A method of communicating data, the method comprising:
 receiving at a bridge multiple data types from a sending component over a plurality of sub-channels of a first bus, wherein each sub-channel is operable to carry address information, control signals, and write data; and   transmitting the multiple data types from the bridge to a receiving component over a second bus, wherein the first bus has a first bandwidth and the second bus has a second bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth is greater than the second bandwidth.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first bus and the second bus is implemented with a common protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving read data from the receiving component at the bridge over the second bus; and   sending the read data from the bridge to the sending component over the first bus.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second bus includes a plurality of sub-channels. 
     
     
         19 . A processing system comprising:
 a sending component configured, during a first time period, to communicate first data over a first number of sub-channels of a transmit channel to a receiving component and configured, during a second time period, to communicate second data over a second number of sub-channels of the transmit channel to the receiving component;   wherein the first number of sub-channels and the second number of sub-channels are independently selectable from each other, wherein the second number of sub-channels is selectable from a total number of sub-channels available for transmission, and wherein each sub-channel is operable to carry address information, control signals, and write data.   
     
     
         20 . The processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the first number of sub-channels is different than the second number of sub-channels. 
     
     
         21 . The processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the second number of sub-channels is selectable based on performance requirements of an application. 
     
     
         22 . The processing system of  claim 19 , wherein a first width of each of the first number of sub-channels is different than a second width of each of the second number of sub-channels. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus comprising:
 means for transmitting multiple data types from a sending component to a bridge over a plurality of sub-channels of a first bus, wherein each sub-channel is operable to carry address information, control signals, and write data;   means for transmitting the multiple data types from the bridge to a receiving component over a second bus, wherein the first bus has a first bandwidth and the second bus has a second bandwidth, wherein the first bandwidth is greater than the second bandwidth;   means for sending read data from the receiving component to the bridge over the second bus; and   means for sending the read data from the bridge to the sending component over the first bus.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein each of the first bus and the second bus is implemented with a common protocol. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second bus comprises a plurality of sub-channels.