Claims
- 1. A memory interface unit for coupling a microprocessor to a memory external to said microprocessor, said memory being utilized for the storage of data therein and the retrieval of data therefrom, and said memory being provided in one or more memory banks, each of said banks being provided with a set of address lines and a byte enable line, data being transferring to and from each of said memory banks on a group of data lines, and said memory banks being provided in one or more banks whereby the group or groups of data lines, as the case may be, provide a memory data path having a physical transfer width for transfer of data to and from said memory, and said data being stored and retrieved over said memory data path in two or more data types, each type having a different size, said memory interface unit being provided with a set of address pins and a set of strobe pins, comprising:
- first means for providing an indication of a physical transfer width of a memory coupled to said memory interface unit;
- second means for providing an indication of a data type to be transferred to or from said memory;
- third means, responsive to said first means and said second means,
- for, depending on the data type indication, providing to said address pins an address, shifted in position, with at least some of said address lines being for coupling to the address lines of said one or more banks of memory, as the case may be, and with one or more of said address pins being for activation of the byte enable line or lines, as the case may be, for data to be transferred, or, alternatively, providing to said address pins an address, unshifted in position, for coupling to the address lines of said one or more banks of memory, as the case may be, for addressing data to be transferred, and
- for, depending on the physical transfer width indication, causing one or more of said strobe pins to be used as additional address pins.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/354,182, filed Dec. 12, 1994 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4888687 |
Allison et al. |
Dec 1989 |
|
5404445 |
Matsumoto |
Apr 1995 |
|
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
354182 |
Dec 1994 |
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