Hierarchical interrupt structure for event notification on multi-virtual circuit network interface controller
US6070219A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 30, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L9/40
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus process a plurality of interrupt status words from a network interface controller (NIC) to a plurality of processes. A first per-virtual circuit interrupt status word and a second per-virtual circuit interrupt status word can be sent by a per-virtual circuit interrupter having a per-virtual circuit interrupt output. A NIC interrupter can be in communication with the per-virtual circuit interrupt output and have a NIC interrupt output to send a first NIC interrupt status word and a second NIC interrupt status word to a global interrupt queue of a host system. The NIC interrupter can generate an interrupt signal to the host system, and a proxy interrupt handler of the host system can be in communication with the NIC interrupter. The proxy interrupt handler can awaken at least in part in response to the interrupt signal, and read the first NIC interrupt status word and the second NIC interrupt status word from the global interrupt queue, wake the first process and the second process, and send the first NIC interrupt status word to the first process and the second NIC interrupt status word to the second process.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.