Register access controller for preventing live-lock from a request for accessing a register

摘要

A register access controller prevents the occurrence of a live-lock condition when an electronic device specifies a register for access from a plurality of registers. The register access controller uses a partial spectrum address decoder instead of a full spectrum address decoder for decoding a register address specifying an implemented register to utilize the advantages of a smaller and simpler decoding circuitry and a faster response of a partial spectrum address decoder. The register access controller also monitors when the specified register address does not correspond to any of the implemented registers to provide a proper response to the electronic device in order to prevent a live-lock condition. The present invention may be used to particular advantage when the plurality of registers and the register access controller are part of an Ethernet computer network peripheral device within a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is the electronic device requesting access to the plurality of registers.