An apparatus and method for efficiently transferring a plurality of
segmented data with various sizes. An address translation storage unit
stores an address translation table which provides a plurality of
translation descriptor domains to support a plurality of translation step
sizes. Depending on the segment size of each data block to be transferred,
a translation descriptor domain selection unit chooses a suitable
translation descriptor domain within the address translation table. Data
segment mapping is then performed with translation descriptors in the
selected translation descriptor domain.