Low Cost Arbitration Method for Arbitrarily Scalable Multiprocessor Systems

Arbitration methods are needed to prevent conflicts when several processing units share a common resource. Despite of there being a plethora of different arbitration methods available, there is not an optimal solution for every case. Our case requires a distributed, modular, simple, fast, freely scalable, and inexpensive arbitration method. Emerged from our special need, we have developed a simple daisy chain type of arbitration that is modularly expandable and implements a geographical priority scheme with a possibility for dynamic priority. This arbitration can be implemented with two inexpensive 74-series logic gates or programmable logic. It can be used with systems that require arbitrary modular scalability, few IO-lines and low cost.