Method and computer program product for reducing intra-system data copying during network packet processing
US6081846A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 27, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/90
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and computer program product that overcomes the problem of intrasystem copying of data from one data structure to another while processing incoming packets of network data coming into the system off a communications network in an environment having an integrating component in between the network card device driver and the transport protocol driver that assigns system memory for packets to the respective drivers. The integrating component temporarily transfers ownership of the original data structure from the network card device driver to the transport protocol driver based on indication from the network card device driver, independent determination that the network card device driver can afford to temporarily release ownership, and determination of the transport protocol driver's ability to take ownership. The transport protocol driver will indicate receipt of ownership of the data structure and later explicitly release it. The transport protocol driver may then operate on the data structure after the initial invocation session has ended when it initially received ownership until it is released at a later time to thus prevent copying of the data and thereby increase system…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.