DMA Controller Linked List Register Update

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic systems utilizing direct memory access face inefficiencies in data transfer operations due to the need for frequent updates of all registers in a register bank, leading to increased memory storage requirements and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a memory structure with linked lists of records where each record contains a first field determining the number of fields in the next record, allowing only modified registers to be updated, thereby reducing unnecessary memory accesses and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If all registers in the register bank are updated frequently during data transfer operations, then the data transfer can be performed according to stored parameters, but the memory storage requirements and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer operation efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the modified register parameters from the complete set of registers and stores them in a linked list in memory. Instead of updating all registers, only the necessary modified parameters are retrieved from the linked list and updated in the register bank, reducing unnecessary memory accesses and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The register parameters are segmented into a linked list structure where each record contains only the specific parameters that need to be updated. This segmentation allows the system to selectively update only the necessary registers rather than all registers, optimizing both memory usage and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If all registers in the register bank are updated frequently during data transfer operations, then the data transfer can be performed according to stored parameters, but the memory storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer operation efficiencyVSAvoidmemory storage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the modified register parameters from the complete set of registers and stores them in a linked list in memory. Instead of updating all registers, only the necessary modified parameters are retrieved from the linked list and updated in the register bank, reducing unnecessary memory accesses and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial updates by only updating the registers that have changed, rather than updating all registers in the bank. This partial action approach reduces both the storage capacity needed in the linked list and the power consumption associated with memory accesses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10997087B2Direct memory access

Publication Date: 2021.05.04 STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS

AI summary

A system includes a direct memory access controller and a memory coupled to the direct memory access controller. The memory stores a linked list of records. Each record contains a first field determining the number of fields of a next record. For example, each record can be representative of parameters of execution of a data transfer by the direct memory access controller.