Patent · US Expired

Transaction switch and network interface adapter incorporating same

US7401126B2 · kind B2 · utility

24Cited by
25References
80Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 2001
Grant dateJul 15, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 8, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L49/3027
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A transaction switch and integrated circuit incorporating said for switching data through a shared memory between a plurality of data interfaces that support different data protocols, namely packetized interfaces like InfiniBand and addressed data interfaces like PCI. The transaction switch also switches transactions commanding data transfers between the disparate protocol data interfaces and between those of the data interfaces having like protocols. For example, the transaction switch enables a hybrid InfiniBand channel adapter/switch to perform both InfiniBand packet to local bus protocol data transfers through the shared memory as well as InfiniBand packet switching between the multiple InfiniBand interfaces. The transactions are tailored for each interface type to include information needed by the particular interface type to perform a data transfer. The shared buffer memory, dynamically allocated by the transaction switch on a first-come-first serve basis, results in more efficient use of precious buffering resources than in a statically allocated scheme.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.