Method and apparatus for caching free memory cell pointers
US6918005B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 18, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/90
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for caching free cell pointers pointing to memory buffers configured to store data traffic of network connections. In one example, the method stores free cell pointers into a pointer random access memory (RAM). At least one free cell pointer is temporarily stored into internal cache configured to assist in lowering a frequency of reads from and writes to the pointer RAM. A request is received from an external integrated circuit for free cell pointers. Free cell pointers are sent to queues of the external integrated circuit, wherein each free cell pointer in a queue is configured to become a write cell pointer. At least one write cell pointer and a corresponding cell descriptor is received from the external integrated circuit. Free cell pointer counter values are then calculated in order to keep track of the free cell pointers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.