Direct Memory Access

摘要

Direct Memory Access is a critical requirement for meeting the data throughput goals in embedded digital signal processing (DSP) applications. It is already a prevalent technology, but recent innovations in the processing capabilities of Direct Memory Access (DMA) controllers give you more flexibility, power, and efficiency to increase system throughput and meet design goals. As the DSP processing power in embedded systems continues to increase, the memory, bus architecture, and DMA controller must also evolve to fully utilize the increased processing power. If the DMA controller does not keep pace, it becomes a bottleneck, constraining the maximum throughput of the system, DMA controllers are responding to this need by functioning more independently, carrying out more of the tasks related to DMA transfer without assistance from the processor. Previous generations of DMA controllers required large numbers of CPU cycles and complex programming to accomplish rudimentary moves of blocks of data. Modern DMA controllers are easing these requirements while providing more advanced functionality.