Method and apparatus for using multiple FIFOs to improve flow control and routing in a communications receiver
US5777987A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L47/26
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and associated apparatus for using a primary FIFO and one or more secondary FIFOs in parallel to simplify flow control and routing in packet communication operations wherein at least one FIFO (buffer) is associated with each of a plurality of receiving nodes or components within a receiving node. The present invention applies received packets simultaneously to a primary FIFO and to all associated secondary FIFOs in the receiver of a packet communications link. After receipt of a packet, the packet is removed from any secondary FIFOs which correspond to receiver nodes or components to which the packet was not routed. For all receiving nodes or components to which the packet was routed, if the packet was stored in each associated secondary FIFO without overflow, then the packet is also purged from the primary FIFO. If any secondary FIFO overflowed by storage of the received packet, then the packet is purged from the overflowed FIFO and the packet remains stored in the primary FIFO for further processing. Flow control signals are generated and applied to the transmitting source as required in accordance with the status of the primary FIFO. The secondary FIFOs are not directly…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.