ARBITRATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

An arbitration method and mechanism assigning priority to one of a combination of requesters. A priority vector for the combination of requesters has a sequential list of requester identifiers. Upon receiving requests from the combination of requesters, the corresponding priority vector is referred to and the next requester identifier on this list is selected. Priority is awarded to the requester corresponding to that requester identifier. A priority vector is preferably provided for each possible combination of multiple requesters. The list of requester identifiers in each priority vector may be advantageously programmable. Preferably, all requester identifiers for a single requester are not provided in a contiguous clump within a given priority vector.