A method and system for a pipelined bus interface macro for use in interconnecting
devices within a computer system. The system and method utilizes a pipeline depth
signal that indicates a number N of discrete transfer requests that may be sent
by a sending device and received by a receiving device prior to acknowledgment
of a transfer request by the receiving device. The pipeline depth signal may be
dynamically modified, enabling a receiving device to decrement or increment the
pipeline depth while one or more unacknowledged requests have been made. The dynamic
modifications may occur responsive to many factors, such as an instantaneous reduction
in system power consumption, a bus interface performance indicator, a receiving
device performance indicator or a system performance indicator.