Queueing system for processors in packet routing operations

A data-packet processor, comprising:

• an input buffer for buffering incoming packets from one or more sources;
• a local packet memory for storing packet data during processing;
• a stream processor unit for processing packet data;
• and
• a configurable queueing system for packet accounting during processing;
• wherein the queueing system comprises a plurality of queues arranged in one or more clusters, an identification mechanism for creating a packet identifier for arriving packets, insertion logic for inserting packet identifiers into queues and for determining into which queue to insert a packet identifier, and selection logic for selecting packet identifiers from queues to initiate processing of identified packets, downloading of completed packets, or for requeueing of the selected packet identifiers.

A method for accounting for packets in a data-packet processor, comprising the steps of

• (a) providing in the processor a plurality of queues in one or more clusters;
• (b) creating a packet identifier for arriving packets;
• (c) inserting packet identifiers into queues by an insertion mechanism having logic for determining into which queue to insert;
• and
• (d) selecting packet identifiers from the queues by selection logic, for initiating processing of identified packets, downloading of completed packets, or for requeueing of the selected packet identifiers.

In a data packet processor having a queueing system for managing arriving packets waiting to be processed, a packet numbering system comprising:

• a fixed range of packet numbers;
• and
• an assignment facility;
• characterized in that the assignment facility accounts for individual numbers in the fixed range, marking numbers invalid as packets in the queueing system are sent to be processed or software activates them, and re-assigning invalid numbers to newly arrived packets put into the queueing system.