Importance

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Abstract

In a data processing system having a plurality of commander nodes and at least one resource node interconnected by a system bus, a bus arbitration technique determines which commander node is to gain control of the system bus to access the resource node. The bus arbitration technique assigns priority levels to all commander nodes, with at least one commander node receiving more than one priority level. Each priority level has an associated signal path. During each arbitration, each contending commander node can activate or assert the signal path associated with its priority level, and the commander node having more than one priority level can assert the signal path associated with any one of its priority levels. All commander nodes monitor all the signal paths to determine the identity of the contending commander node that asserted the signal path associated with the highest priority level among those that were asserted, and, thus, the contending commander node that 'won' the arbitration.

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First Claim