Appeal No. 1998-2226
Application No. 08/454,268
memory coupled to the data alignment device for data transfer.
The memory includes a number of substantially identical
subsidiary memories. The data alignment device has a number
of first ports, one connected to each of the subsidiary
memories. The data
alignment device also has a corresponding number of second
ports connected to the data handling device. Under control of
a bus interface and control logic, each first port is
connectable with any one of the second ports. The invention
is further illustrated by the following claim.
1. Interface apparatus for connection between a data
handling device and a data communication medium to enable data
to be transferred between the device and the medium, the
apparatus comprising a data alignment device coupled in use to
the data handling device; a memory coupled for data transfer
to the data alignment device, the memory including a number of
substantially identical subsidiary, First-In-First-Out (FIFO)
memories arranged in parallel, the number of subsidiary
memories being chosen such that an overall width of said
subsidiary memories is at least equal to the longest length of
data to be transferred between the memory and the alignment
device in a single transfer step and the width of each
subsidiary memory being equal to the shortest length of data
to be transferred between the memory and the alignment device
in a single transfer step; the data
alignment device having a number of first ports, one connected
to each of the subsidiary FIFOs and a corresponding number of
second ports connected in use to the data handling device, and
means for connecting any first port to any second port; and
control means for controlling operation of the data alignment
device such that in any transfer step, data having a length
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