Hardware DMA Controller for On-the-Fly Data Formatting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current DMA data transfer processes in complex electronic devices require significant CPU processing time and hardware resources due to the need for real-time data parsing, transcoding, and management, leading to inefficiencies and potential FIFO overflows.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dedicated hardware DMA controller that performs on-the-fly data parsing, transcoding, and memory allocation, eliminating the need for MCU intervention and reducing software overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If software on the CPU parses protocol headers, extracts payload, and performs data manipulation in real-time, then data transfer functionality is achieved, but CPU processing time increases and system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data parsing, transcoding, and manipulation functions from the software/CPU and implements them in dedicated hardware modules within the DMA controller. This hardware extraction enables parallel processing where the CPU can operate independently while data transfers are being processed, thereby reducing CPU processing time and improving overall data transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hardware DMA controller as an intermediary between the physical interface and memory. This intermediary contains dedicated hardware modules that automatically handle protocol parsing, payload extraction, and data manipulation without requiring CPU intervention, thus resolving the contradiction between achieving data transfer functionality and minimizing CPU processing time
2Reliability
If a large hardware FIFO memory is used to maintain physical interface data flow, then data loss is prevented, but hardware resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the hardware DMA controller proactively parse protocol headers and determine payload lengths before data transfer begins. This advance preparation allows the system to allocate appropriate FIFO buffer sizes based on actual data requirements rather than using oversized buffers, maintaining data flow continuity while reducing hardware resource consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the FIFO buffer allocation adaptive rather than static. The hardware DMA controller dynamically adjusts FIFO usage based on real-time data characteristics extracted from protocol headers, allowing the system to maintain reliability with variable data flows while optimizing hardware resource utilization
3Ease of operation
If the software parses input data in an interrupt routine to determine data length, then proper data handling is achieved, but numerous interactions between hardware and software increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the hardware DMA controller to autonomously parse protocol headers, determine payload lengths, and configure data transfer parameters without software intervention. The hardware modules within the DMA controller perform these functions independently, significantly reducing hardware-software interactions while maintaining proper data handling capability
Data Source
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AI summary
A hardware direct memory access controller (600) including an input port (610) configured to receive data from an electronic device for direct memory access transfer, an output port (630) configured to provide data for direct memory access, and processing circuitry (620) is disclosed. The processing circuitry (620) is configured to receive data comprising a header and payload from the electronic device via the input port (610), parse the header to determine data parameters including a transaction length and an input data format, and select a target destination for the data based at least in part on the data parameters. The processing circuitry (620) is also configured to allocate memory within the target destination based at least in part on the transaction length, and to format the payload for direct memory access based at least in part on the data parameters, and to transfer the formatted payload for storage within the allocated memory within the target destination via the output port (630) using direct memory access.