Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
PCI bus
disk disk
disk disk
DMA Progress
• To initiate a DMA transfer, the host writes a
DMA command into memory:
– A pointer to the source of a transfer
– A count of the number of bytes to be transferred
– ……..
• The CPU writes the address of the DMA
command block to the DMA controller.
DMA Progress (cont.)
• The DMA controller proceeds to operate the
memory bus directly without CPU help.
• Handshaking exists between DMA
controller and device controller.
• When the entire transfer is finished, the
DMA controller will interrupts the CPU.
Handshaking
• DMA-request and DMA_acknowledge
– When a word of data is available, the device
controller places a signal on the DMA-request
wire.
– The signal causes the DMA controller to seize
the memory bus,
• To place the desired address on the memory-address
wire
• To place a signal on the DMA-acknowledge wire
Handshaking (cont.)
• When the device controller receives the
DMA-acknowledge signal,
– it transfer the word of data to memory
– and remove the DMA_request signal.