JP2001175583A - Semiconductor integrated circuit device and method for using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor circuit device which is reduced in the addition/change of hardware and also reduced in a bus authority acquisition waiting state, and a method for using the same. SOLUTION: This device is provided with one set of buses 301a and 301b as a transmission route for exchanging data, the respective groups of function blocks 101 and 102a connected to one set of these respective buses and a transfer gate 201 for connecting one set of buses and the transfer gate 201 disconnects the buses 301a and 301b at the time of operation between the groups of the function block 102a and recovers the connected state of the disconnected buses 301a and 301b after the end of operation between the groups of the function block 102a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device capable of dividing / connecting a bus between blocks in a functional block sharing a bus, and a method of using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a semiconductor integrated circuit device incorporating a microprocessor, a configuration is adopted in which blocks are connected by a common bus and data is exchanged between the blocks via the bus. Is common.

In the case of this device, when each function block is operated simultaneously, a collision occurs because a common bus is used. In order to avoid this, there is generally a method in which when one function block uses the bus, the other function blocks stop operating and wait until the bus is free so that the bus use does not conflict with each other. Have been.

Further, another method is adopted in which another set of buses is formed as separate buses so that collision does not occur.

[0005]

However, such a conventional bus configuration has the following problems. (1) When each function block is constituted by a set of buses,
While one functional block connected to the bus is using the bus, the other functional blocks wait for the acquisition of the bus right until the bus is released. (2) When a certain set of functional blocks is constituted by a set of buses and another set of functional blocks is constituted by another bus, the proportion of the bus wiring in the system increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and there is little addition / change of hardware necessary for realizing this function, and a semiconductor circuit device with reduced bus right waiting state and use thereof. Is to provide a way.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: a set of buses as transmission paths for data exchange; a functional block group connected to each of the set of buses; Means for disconnecting / connecting one set of buses with each other, wherein the means disconnects one set of buses when operating between one functional block group, and ends the operation between one functional block group. It is characterized in that a set of buses disconnected later is returned to a connected state.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention, the bus between the functional block groups is divided, and the bus to which one functional block group is connected while the functional block group connected to one bus is operating. The connection between the bus of the other functional block group and the bus of the other functional block group is disconnected, and after the operation of one functional block group is completed, the one functional block group is connected again to the other bus, so that the one functional block group is connected to the other bus. The other functional block groups to be connected do not wait for the acquisition of the bus right, and the amount of wiring of the bus does not increase.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the first aspect, wherein one functional block group stores an operation result of one functional block group. The other functional block group includes a storage device, and the other functional block group includes a microprocessor.The microprocessor instructs one functional block group to operate, and the one functional block group receives the instruction, disconnects the bus, starts the operation, and completes the operation. At this point, the one functional block group returns the disconnected set of buses to the connected state, and the microprocessor waits for the operating time of the one functional block group, and then stores the storage device in which the operation result of the one functional block group is written. It is characterized by reading.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the second aspect, in addition to the same effects as those of the first aspect, when the function of disconnecting / connecting the bus is performed by the microcomputer,
Since each functional block can have a function of controlling disconnection / connection of the bus, it can be used without change or limitation when diverted to another semiconductor integrated circuit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the first aspect, further comprising reference means for referring to whether or not the bus is disconnected from another functional block side.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the third aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the third aspect, wherein one functional block group stores an operation result of one functional block group. The other functional block group includes a storage device, and the other functional block group includes a microprocessor.The microprocessor instructs one functional block group to operate, and the one functional block group receives the instruction, disconnects the bus, starts the operation, and completes the operation. At this point, the one functional block group returns the disconnected set of buses to the connected state, and the microprocessor uses the reference means to confirm that the buses have been connected again, and then writes the operation result of the one functional block group. And reading the stored storage device.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the fourth aspect, the same effect as that of the second aspect is obtained.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: a set of buses which are transmission paths for data exchange; and a functional block group connected to each of the set of buses.
Means for disconnecting / connecting one set of buses and connection notifying means, wherein the means disconnects one set of buses when operating between one function block group, and connects between one function block group; After the operation is completed, the set of disconnected buses is returned to the connected state, and the connection notifying means notifies the other functional block groups that the connection has been made again via the bus after the disconnection / connection means is connected. It is assumed that.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the fifth aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of using a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the fifth aspect, wherein one functional block group stores an operation result of one functional block group. The other functional block group includes a storage device, and the other functional block group includes a microprocessor.The microprocessor instructs one functional block group to operate, and the one functional block group receives the instruction, disconnects the bus, starts the operation, and completes the operation. At this point, the one functional block group returns the disconnected set of buses to the connected state, and the one functional block group uses the connection notifying means via the one set of buses to re-execute the operation of the one functional block group. Notifies other functional block groups that the bus has been connected, and the other functional block groups receive the notification and record the operation results It is characterized in that the read out and are storage devices are.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the sixth aspect, the same effect as that of the second aspect can be obtained.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1 of the present invention and a method for using the same according to claim 2 using the structure thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. explain. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of a first embodiment of a semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a usage method according to claim 2 applied to the configuration of FIG. FIG. 4 shows a timing diagram. In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes one of the functional blocks.
A microcomputer including a microprocessor, 102a is another functional block, 103a is a storage device of a functional block group of the microcomputer, 10a
Reference numeral 3b denotes a storage device of the functional block group of the functional block 102a, and reference numerals 301a and 301b denote a set of divided buses for exchanging data between the functional blocks. 201 indicates “O” when the signal of the wiring 302 is “H”.
N is a transfer gate, which is a disconnection / connection means for connecting the buses 301a and 301b and disconnecting it when the signal is "L" and being "OFF" .The functional block 102a operates from the microcomputer 101 via the buses 301a and 301b. Upon receiving the request, it has a function of sequentially reading data stored in the storage device 103b and performing processing, and writing the result to the storage device 103b again. The function block 102a is “L” during execution and “Waiting for execution” H "is output.

Next, an example of use in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. As an initial state, the data to be processed by the functional block 102a has already been written to the storage device 103b, and the functional block 102a is in an execution waiting state, that is, the wiring 302 is "H", the transfer gate 201 is "ON", and the buses 301a, 301
b is in a connected state.

In FIG. 2, a microcomputer 10
1 to the function block 102a from the bus 301a, 301b
An instruction to start the operation is issued via (P1 in FIG. 2). This mechanism is a function normally provided in a circuit controlled by a general microcomputer. Function block 10
2a is connected to the wiring 30 by the function of the internal 102b in response to an operation start instruction from the microcomputer 101.
By setting "2" to "L", the transfer gate is turned "OFF" and the buses 301a and 301b are disconnected (P2 in FIG. 2). After that, the functional block 102a sequentially reads the data to be processed, which has been written in the storage device 103b in advance, and writes the result to the storage device 103b (P3 in FIG. 2). After the processing is completed, the function block 102a turns the transfer gate “ON” by setting the wiring 302 to “H” by the function of the internal 102b, and connects the buses 301a and 301b (P4 in FIG. 2). Then, the microcomputer 101
The processing result written in the storage device 103b is read and used (P5 in FIG. 2). Here, the function block 102
While “a” is executing the processes from P2 to P4 in FIG. 2, the microcomputer 101 is not affected by the use of the bus 301b of the functional block 102a between the functional blocks connected to the bus 301a. Operable.

A second embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the third aspect of the present invention and the use thereof according to the fourth aspect using the configuration thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of a second embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the third aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an application of the method according to the fourth aspect to the configuration of FIG. FIG. 4 shows a timing diagram. 3 and 4, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts.

In FIG. 3, the “ON” / “OFF” state of the transfer gate 201 is changed to the bus 3 in the configuration of FIG.
The configuration is such that a status register 104, which is a reference means that can be referred to by an address read request from address 01a, is connected.

Next, an example of use in the configuration shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. As an initial state, the data to be processed by the functional block 102a has already been written to the storage device 103b, and the functional block 102a is in an execution waiting state, that is, the wiring 302 is "H", the transfer gate 201 is "ON", and the buses 301a, 302
b is in a connected state. For the sake of explanation, the transfer register 201 is "ON" when the least significant bit is "H" when the microcomputer 101 reads the address 100 and "OF" when it is "L".
The initial state of the status register 104 is "H" because the transfer gate 201 is "ON".
It is.

In FIG. 4, the microcomputer 10
1 to the function block 102a from the bus 301a, 301b
An instruction to start the operation is issued via (P1 in FIG. 4). This mechanism is a function normally provided in a circuit controlled by a general microcomputer. Function block 10
2a is connected to the wiring 30 by the function of the internal 102b in response to an operation start instruction from the microcomputer 101.
By setting 2 to "L", the transfer gate is turned "OFF" and the buses 301a and 301b are disconnected (P2 in FIG. 4). At the same time, the status register 104 becomes "L". After that, the function block 102 a
b, the data to be processed which has been written in advance is sequentially read, and the result is written to the storage device 103b (P3 in FIG. 4). After the processing is completed, the function block 102a
Turns the transfer gate “ON” by connecting the wiring 302 to “H” by the function of the internal 102b, and connects the buses 301a and 301b (P in FIG. 4).
4). At the same time, the status register 104 becomes "H". The microcomputer 101 is a functional block 1 of P2 in FIG.
02b, an operation start instruction is issued, and the status register 104 monitors the completion of the processing of the functional block 102b by referring to the least significant bit of the address 100 at regular time intervals.
a between the function blocks connected to a.
The operation becomes possible without being affected by the use of the bus 301b of 02a (P5-1 to P5-2 in FIG. 4). After confirming the completion of the processing of the functional block 102b from the status register 104 (P5-n in FIG. 4), the microcomputer 101 reads and uses the processing result written in the storage device 103b (P6 in FIG. 4). .

A third embodiment of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to the fifth aspect of the present invention and the use thereof according to the sixth aspect using the configuration thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an entire configuration of a third embodiment of a semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 5 of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an application of the method according to claim 6 to the configuration of FIG. FIG. 4 shows a timing diagram. 5 and 6, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts.

In FIG. 5, a function 105 for generating an interrupt signal to the bus 301b when the processing of the function block 102a is completed is added to the function block 10 in the configuration of FIG.
2a. This function 105 constitutes a connection notifying means to the microcomputer 101.

Next, an example of use in the configuration shown in FIG. 5 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. As an initial state, the data to be processed by the functional block 102a has already been written to the storage device 103b, and the functional block 102a is in an execution waiting state, that is, the wiring 302 is "H", the transfer gate 201 is "ON", and the buses 301a, 302
b is in a connected state.

Referring to FIG. 6, the microcomputer 10
1 to the function block 102a from the bus 301a, 301b
An instruction to start the operation is issued via (P1 in FIG. 6). This mechanism is a function normally provided in a circuit controlled by a general microcomputer. Function block 10
2a is connected to the wiring 30 by the function of the internal 102b in response to an operation start instruction from the microcomputer 101.
By setting 2 to "L", the transfer gate is turned "OFF" and the buses 301a and 301b are disconnected (P2 in FIG. 4). Thereafter, the functional block 102a sequentially reads out the data to be processed which has been written in the storage device 103b in advance, and writes the result to the storage device 103b (P3 in FIG. 4). After the processing is completed, the function block 102a turns the transfer gate “ON” by setting the wiring 302 to “H” by the function of the internal 102b, and connects the buses 301a and 301b (P4 in FIG. 4). Then, the function 1 in the function block 102b
5, an interrupt signal is generated for the microcomputer 101 via the buses 301b and 101a (P5 in FIG. 6). The microcomputer 101 receives the interrupt signal, reads out the processing result written in the storage device 103b, and uses it (P6 in FIG. 6). Here, while the processing from P2 to P4 in FIG. 6 is being executed, the microcomputer 101 sends the functional blocks 102a between the functional block groups connected to the bus 301a.
Without being affected by the use of the bus 301b.

If the execution time of the functional block 102a can be predicted in advance, the microcomputer 101 only has to wait for a certain period of time, and the number of added circuits is minimized. The described use is best. When the execution time of the functional block 102a cannot be predicted in advance, the buses 301a and 301b
If the microcomputer 101 controlling the bus has the interrupt function, the function block 102
The microcomputer 101 does not need to refer to the processing completion of the functional block 102a one by one until the processing of the function block 102a is completed, and the processing result of the function block 102a can be used immediately after the processing of the functional block 102a is completed.
The method according to claim 6 in the configuration of the semiconductor integrated circuit described above is the best. If the execution time of the function block 102a cannot be predicted in advance, the buses 301a and 301b and the microcomputer 101 that controls the bus have no interrupt function or the microcomputer 101
In the case where the interrupt processing function is limited and the interrupt function cannot be used, the method of using the semiconductor circuit device according to the third aspect of the present invention is the best.

According to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the bus right acquisition waiting state of each functional block connected to the bus.
An example is shown in the time chart shown in FIG. FIG. 7 shows that the microcomputer performs processing for one unit time on the entire bus (bus connection state), and thereafter, the microcomputer and the functional blocks perform processing that does not use the entire bus independently of each other (bus disconnected state). 3) Finally, the microcomputer performs processing for one unit time on the entire bus (bus connection state). Reference numeral 30 denotes microcomputer processing in the entire bus, 31 denotes microcomputer processing that can be executed independently, and 32 denotes function block processing that can be executed independently.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the conventional method (a), the microcomputer and the function block share the same bus although they perform processing independently of each other.
Although processing cannot be performed simultaneously, in the method (b) according to the present invention, when the microcomputer and the functional block can perform processing independently of each other, the bus can be divided and the processing can be performed simultaneously, so that the system throughput is reduced. Can be improved.

The transmission path of the first shared data between the first functional block groups is connected to the first bus (for example, 301).
a) and the transmission path of the second shared data between the second functional block groups is set to the second bus (for example, 301).
In the case of the configuration b), the first bus and the second bus are disconnected / connected by the bus disconnection / connection control means, so that the ratio of the bus wiring amount in the system does not increase.

When the function of disconnecting / connecting a bus is performed by a microcomputer, the function depends on the configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit to be realized or the number of bus portions to be disconnected / connected is fixed. When the computer block is diverted to another semiconductor integrated circuit device, the circuit in the microcomputer is changed or the method of use is restricted, but in the present invention, disconnection / connection of the bus is controlled for each functional block. Since it has a function, it can be used without change or limitation when diverted to another semiconductor integrated circuit.

[0036]

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the first aspect, a bus between functional block groups is divided, and one functional block group is connected while a functional block group connected to one bus is operating. The connection between the bus to be connected and the bus of another functional block group is disconnected, and after the operation of one functional block group is completed, one functional block group is connected again to the other bus, so that one functional block group is connected to the other functional block group. Another functional block group connected to the bus does not enter the bus right waiting state, and the amount of wiring of the bus does not increase.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the second aspect, in addition to the same effects as those of the first aspect, when the function of disconnecting / connecting the bus is performed by the microcomputer,
Since each functional block can have a function of controlling disconnection / connection of the bus, it can be used without change or limitation when diverted to another semiconductor integrated circuit.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the third aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the fourth aspect, the same effect as that of the second aspect can be obtained.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the fifth aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained.

According to the method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the sixth aspect, the same effect as that of the second aspect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing a method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing a method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 4;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing a method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 6;

FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating the effect of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 microcomputer 102a function block 102b function indicating operation state of function block 103a, 103b storage device 201 transfer gate 301a, 301b bus 104 status register 105 interrupt signal generation function

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A set of buses serving as transmission paths for data exchange, function block groups connected to each of the set of buses, and means capable of mutually disconnecting / connecting the set of buses. Wherein the means disconnects the set of buses during operation between the one functional block group, and connects the set of buses disconnected after the operation between the one functional block group is completed. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, which is returned to a state. 2. The method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein one functional block group includes a storage device for storing an operation result of the one functional block group, and the other functional block group includes Including an microprocessor, the microprocessor instructs the one functional block group to perform an operation, and the one functional block group receives the instruction and disconnects a bus to start an operation. The group returns the disconnected set of buses to the connected state, and the microprocessor waits for the operation time of the one function block group, and then reads the storage device in which the operation result of the one function block group is written. A method for using a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising: 3. The semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, further comprising reference means for referring to whether or not the bus is disconnected from another functional block. 4. The method of using a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 3, wherein one functional block group includes a storage device that stores an operation result of the one functional block group, and the other functional block group includes Including an microprocessor, the microprocessor instructs the one functional block group to perform an operation, and the one functional block group receives the instruction and disconnects a bus to start an operation. The group returns the disconnected set of buses to a connected state, and the microprocessor confirms that the buses have been connected again using reference means, and then writes the operation result of the one functional block group. A method for using a semiconductor integrated circuit, which reads a storage device. 5. A set of buses as transmission paths for data exchange, function block groups connected to each of the set of buses, and means for disconnecting / connecting the set of buses with each other. Connection notifying means, wherein the means disconnects the set of buses when operating between the one functional block group, and disconnects the bus after the operation between the one functional block group is completed. Returning the set of buses to a connected state, and the connection notifying means notifying that another connection has been made via the bus to another functional block group after connection of the disconnection / connection means. . 6. The method of using a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 5, wherein one functional block group includes a storage device that stores an operation result of the one functional block group, and the other functional block group includes Including an microprocessor, the microprocessor instructs the one functional block group to perform an operation, and the one functional block group receives the instruction and disconnects a bus to start an operation. The group returns the disconnected set of buses to a connected state, and the one functional block group is reconnected to the bus after the operation of the one functional block group is completed using connection notifying means via the one set of buses. Is notified to the other functional block group, and the other functional block group receives the notification and records the operation result. A method of using the semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the stored memory device is read.