System and method for context switching in an electronic network
US6519265B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 28, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/9063
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for context switching in an electronic network comprises a memory configured to store instruction modules, each instruction module corresponding to a context, a processor that executes the instruction modules, and a control state machine. The control state machine selects one of the instruction modules for execution by the processor according to context information from the electronic network. The control state machine includes a switch address generator, a return address register, and a program counter select. The switch address generator outputs a switch address, which is an address for a first instruction for a selected-context instruction module. The return address register stores a return address, which is an address of a next consecutive instruction, when an instruction module is interrupted for a context switch. The program counter select outputs the switch address, the return address, or a next consecutive address to select the appropriate instruction in the memory for execution by the processor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.