| 摘要 |
A data handling arrangement for a computer system, with particular application to multimedia systems, allows device adapters (control units) attached to the system to autonomously (without interrupting the system processor) control processing of a data stream of arbitrary length through memory buffers which are smaller than the stream. In this (stream processing) operation, data constituting the data stream flows through devices controlled by the adapter in succession, and is held in shared memory buffers as it passes between devices. The adapters are prepared for the stream processing operation by a system processor, indicate their preparation status to the processor, receive an initiating signal from the processor, and then proceed to direct the operation to completion without further assistance from the processor. In the operation, the adapters coordinate usage of the memory buffers by respective devices. Coordination is accomplished using a notification signalling protocol defined during preparation of the adapters.
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