Arbitration unit which requests control of the system bus prior to determining whether such control is required

摘要

A commander module including means for determining whether control of a system bus is required, means for requesting control of the system bus, prior to determining whether such control is required, and means, responsive to the determining means, for indicating that control of the system bus is required. A computer system including the system bus and at least two such commander modules coupled to the system bus and including means for arbitrating for control of the system bus including means for granting control of the system bus to one of the commander modules indicating that control of the system bus is required and having the highest arbitration priority among those commander modules also indicating that control of the system bus is required.