Assigning cell data to one of several processors provided in a data switch
US6633563B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 14, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L47/20
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A content addressable memory (CAM) having a search field, a mask and an output for each CAM location is used to efficiently determine a processor for processing IP packets, with each IP packet being received as a sequence of cells. IP packets may be assigned to a processor (group) based on an examination of the header data, potentially including IP header and other higher layer protocols headers. The search field of a CAM location is pre-stored with header data, and the bit positions to be searched in the location are specified by using a mask. The output of the location identifies the processor group for executing packets with headers matching the search field, with only the bits specified by the mask being compared. When a first cell of an IP packet is received, the header data is provided as an input to the CAM, and the output identifies the processor (group) for executing the IP packet.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.