Method and apparatus for indicating an interrupt in a network interface
US6467008B1 · kind B1 · utility
86Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 1, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 1, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/90
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A network interface is polled by a process operating on a host computer system. Each time the network interface is polled the process determines whether any packets have been transferred to the host. If so, they are processed. Interrupts that would normally be issued from the network interface in response to the transfer of packets are suppressed or postponed during the polling mode of operation. If, however, a predetermined period of time has elapsed or a predetermined number of packets have been transferred since a previous poll or a previous interrupt, then an interrupt may be generated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.