INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including, one or more modules that are interconnected via a system bus, wherein each of one or more the modules includes, a functional device, which conforms to a local interface that differs from an interface for the system bus, and performs a predetermined function, and an interface device, which is connected to the functional device via a local bus conforming to the local interface, and connected to another module via the system bus, wherein, when information in a first format conforming to the local interface is supplied from the functional device via the local bus, the interface device converts the information from the first format to a second format conforming to the interface for the system bus and supplies the converted information to the another module via the system bus, and wherein, when information in the second format is supplied from the another module via the system bus, the interface device converts the information from the second format to the first format and supplies the converted information to the functional device via the local bus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a typical hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a typical hardware configuration of a functional device in a controller for the information processing apparatus, which is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a typical hardware configuration of a functional device in an NETM for the information processing apparatus, which is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating in detail a typical hardware configuration of an interface device for the information processing apparatus, which is shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a typical structure of a message that is transmitted on a message bus, which is shown in FIG. 4 and other figures;

FIG. 6 illustrates the concept of data transfer operations that are performed between modules of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 via a system bus; and

FIG. 7 shows a typical structure of data that is transmitted on a data bus, which is shown in FIG. 4 and other figures.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: one or more modules that are interconnected via a system bus;wherein each of one or more said modules includes a functional device, which conforms to a local interface that differs from an interface for said system bus, and performs a predetermined function; andan interface device, which is connected to said functional device via a local bus conforming to said local interface, and connected to another module via said system bus; wherein, when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said functional device via said local bus, said interface device converts the information from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supplies the converted information to said another module via said system bus; andwherein, when information in said second format is supplied from said another module via said system bus, said interface device converts the information from said second format to said first format and supplies the converted information to said functional device via said local bus.

2. An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus in which one or more modules are interconnected via a system bus, wherein each of one or more said modules comprises a functional device, which conforms to a local interface that differs from an interface for said system bus, and performs a predetermined function; and an interface device, which is connected to said functional device via a local bus conforming to said local interface, and connected to another module via said system bus, said information processing method comprising the steps of: when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said functional device via said local bus, causing said interface device to convert the information from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supply the converted information to said another module via said system bus; andwhen information in said second format is supplied from said another module via said system bus, causing said interface device to convert the information from said second format to said first format and supply the converted information to said functional device via said local bus.

3. A program that is used in an information processing apparatus including one or more modules that are interconnected via a system bus and provided each with a functional device, which conforms to a local interface differing from an interface for said system bus and performs a predetermined function, and an interface device, which is connected to said functional device via a local bus conforming to said local interface and connected to another module via said system bus, and is executed by a computer controlling said interface device of each of one or more said modules, said program comprising the steps of: when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said functional device via said local bus, converting the information from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supplying the converted information to said another module via said system bus; andwhen information in said second format is supplied from said another module via said system bus, converting the information from said second format to said first format and supplying the converted information to said functional device via said local bus.

4. An information processing apparatus that is connected to a system bus and to a local bus conforming to a local interface, which differs from an interface for said system bus, wherein, when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said local bus, the information is converted from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supplied to said system bus, and wherein, when information in said second format is supplied from said system bus, the information is converted from said second format to said first format and supplied to said local bus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, comprising: a storage that is connected to said local bus and configured to store information in said first format; anda converter that is connected to said system bus and configured to convert information format between said first format and said second format.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said local bus includes a message bus for transmitting a message and a data bus for transmitting data; wherein said storage includes a message storage that is connected to said message bus and configured to store said message in said first format, and a data storage that is connected to said data bus and configured to store said data in said first format; and wherein said converter converts the format of said message or said data between said first format and said second format.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said system bus is a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express bus, and wherein said second format is a TLP (Transaction Layer Packet).

8. An information processing method for use in an information processing apparatus that is connected to a system bus and to a local bus conforming to a local interface, which differs from an interface for said system bus, said information processing method comprising the steps of: when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said local bus, converting the information from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supplying the converted information to said system bus; andwhen information in said second format is supplied from said system bus, converting the information from said second format to said first format and supplying the converted information to said local bus.

9. A program that is executed by a computer controlling an information transmission between a system bus and a local bus conforming to a local interface, which differs from an interface for said system bus, said program comprising the steps of: when information in a first format conforming to said local interface is supplied from said local bus, converting the information from said first format to a second format conforming to the interface for said system bus and supplying the converted information to said system bus; andwhen information in said second format is supplied from said system bus, converting the information from said second format to said first format and supplying the converted information to said local bus.