Direct memory access (DMA) descriptor architecture for access to computer storage devices has increased access speed by enabling one DMA descriptor to contain more that one data pointer

摘要

A link list direct memory access (DMA) descriptor (10) includes a field containing the number of data pointers contained in the next DMA descriptor. Preferably the number of data pointers in the next descriptor is contained in its memory address. The number of data pointers is stored in the DMA controller and is used to determine the number of read cycles that are necessary. Independent claims are made for a DMA controller and a computer readable storage device for storing a DMA descriptor.