Method and apparatus for sharing memory in a multiprocessor system

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A system for sharing a memory between multiple processors divides the memory into a plurality of sections subsections and banks and provides a CPU to memory path between each CPU and each section of memory. Each CPU may generate references to the memory from any one of four ports, which are multiplexed to the memory paths and onto the sections of memory. The system provides that each CPU has an associated register in each subsection of memory and that each CPU can make no more than one reference to a subsection at a time. Reference conflict resolution means are provided at the CPU level to arbitrate conflicts between ports in the CPUs attempting to reference the same section or subsection …