A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERFACING A DEVICE COMPLIANT TO FIRST BUS PROTOCOL TO AN EXTERNAL BUS

摘要

A method and apparatus for interfacing a device (8) which is compliant to a first bus protocol to a second bus (11) having a second protocol and for providing virtual functions through an intelligent bridge (9) that is coupled to the second bus (11). An address translator (35), coupled to the second bus (11), for translating addresses in a second bus format into addresses in a first bus format is provided. A device selection detection circuit (37) is provided for detecting that a configuration cycle from the second bus (11) is for that particular device. Once a configuration cycle is detected, interrupt generation circuitry (43) interrupts a local processor (29), coupled to the first local processor bus (13). The device selection detection circuitry (37) also writes to a register (41) disposed in a configuration controller (39). The configuration controller (39) disables the address translator (35) so that any further accesses to the local processor bus (13) are blocked.