PCI Functional Description 2-7
line. This command is intended for use with bulk sequential data transfers
where the memory system and the requesting master might gain some
performance advantage by reading to a cache line boundary rather than
a single memory cycle. The Read Line function in the LSI53C875A takes
advantage of the PCI 2.2 specification regarding issuing this command.
If the cache mode is disabled, Read Line commands are not issued.
If the cache mode is enabled, a Read Line command is issued on all
read cycles, except nonprefetch opcode fetches, when the following
conditions are met:
• The CLSE (Cache Line Size Enable, bit 7, DMA Control (DCNTL)
register) and ERL (Enable Read Line, bit 3, DMA Mode (DMODE)
register) bits are set.
• The Cache Line Size register must contain a legal burst size value
in Dwords (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, or 128) and that value is less than or
equal to the DMA Mode (DMODE) burst size.
• The transfer will cross a Dword boundary but not a cache line
boundary.
When these conditions are met, the chip issues a Read Line command
instead of a Memory Read during all PCI read cycles. Otherwise, it
issues a normal Memory Read command.
Read Multiple with Read Line Enabled – When both the Read Multiple
and Read Line modes are enabled, the Read Line command is not
issued if the above conditions are met. Instead, a Read Multiple
command is issued, even though the conditions for Read Line are met.
If the Read Multiple mode is enabled and the Read Line mode is
disabled, Read Multiple commands are issued if the Read Multiple
conditions are met.