| 摘要 |
A data processing apparatus and method of arbitration within such a data processing apparatus are provided for arbitrating between a plurality of transfers to be routed over a corresponding plurality of paths provided by an interconnect circuit of that data processing apparatus. The plurality of paths include a shared connection, the data processing apparatus having a plurality of initiator logic elements for initiating transfers and a plurality of recipient logic elements for receiving transfers, for each transfer the corresponding path coupling the initiator logic element responsible for initiating that transfer with the recipient logic element destined to receive that transfer. At least one of the recipient logic elements that is destined to receive one of the transfers has a storage element associated therewith which is operable to temporarily store transfer data of that transfer. The storage element is operable to assert a ready signal if that storage element is available to store the transfer data, and is arranged such that once the ready signal is asserted that ready signal is not de-asserted until the transfer data has been received by the storage element. The method of the invention comprises the steps of providing to arbitration logic an indication as to whether the ready signal from the storage element has been asserted, and employing the arbitration logic to select, in dependence on predetermined criteria including at least that indication, one of the plurality of transfers for routing via the shared connection. This approach to arbitration has been found to significantly increase the throughput through the interconnect circuit.
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