Network switch having descriptor cache and method thereof
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorsDavid Shemla, Rami Rozensvaig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for writing descriptors, the device including a local memory comprising a multiplicity of mini-queues, wherein each of the mini-queues temporarily stores a plurality of descriptors, wherein each of the descriptors is associated with one of the data packets. Additionally including an output memory comprising a multiplicity of output queues, wherein each of the output queues in output memory is associated with one of the queues in said local memory, and a burst writer which writes N descriptors simultaneously from the mini-queue in the local memory to its associated output queue in output memory.
Claims17
A method of writing descriptors, comprising the steps of:
- writing into a local memory, wherein said local memory comprises a multiplicity of mini-queues, each storing a plurality of descriptors, wherein each said descriptor is associated with one of said data packets;
- accumulating said descriptors in said multiplicity of mini-queues;
- and
- transferring said more than one said descriptors from said multiplicity of queues to an output memory comprising a multiplicity of output queues, wherein each said output queue in output memory is associated with one mini-queue in local memory.
A device for writing descriptors, the device comprising:
- a local memory comprising a multiplicity of mini-queues, wherein each said mini-queue temporarily stores a plurality of descriptors, wherein each said descriptor is associated. with one of said data packets;
- and
- an output memory comprising a multiplicity of output queues, wherein each said output queue in output memory is associated with one said queue in said local memory, and a burst writer which writes N descriptors simultaneously from said mini-queue in said local memory to its associated said output queue in output memory.
A device comprising:
- a data memory to store a plurality of data;
- a cache memory comprising a plurality of FIFO mini-queues each of said plurality of mini-queues to store a plurality of descriptors, each of the plurality of descriptors corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of data;
- an output memory comprising a plurality of output queues;
- and
- a burst writer to simultaneously transfer M ones of the plurality of descriptors stored in a corresponding one of said plurality of mini-queues to at least a corresponding one of said plurality of output queues,
- wherein said burst writer accesses said output memory, when said output memory is available, once for every M ones of the plurality of descriptors.
A method of writing descriptors, comprising the steps of:
- writing a plurality of data into a data memory;
- writing a plurality of descriptors into at least one of a plurality of mini-queues of a cache memory, each of the plurality of descriptors corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of data;
- accumulating said descriptors in said plurality of mini-queues;
- simultaneously transferring M ones of the plurality of descriptors stored in a corresponding one of said plurality of mini-queues to at least a corresponding one of a plurality of output queues;
- and
- accessing the output memory, when the output memory is available, once for every M ones of the plurality of descriptors.
A device comprising:
- memory means for storing a plurality of data;
- cache memory means comprising a plurality of FIFO mini-queue means each of said plurality of mini-queue means for storing a plurality of descriptors, each of the plurality of descriptors corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of data;
- output memory means comprising a plurality of output queue means for storing corresponding ones of the plurality of descriptors;
- and
- burst writer means for simultaneously transferring M ones of the plurality of descriptors stored in a corresponding one of said plurality of mini-queue means to at least a corresponding one of said plurality of output queue means,
- wherein said burst writer means accesses said output memory means, when said output memory means is available, once for every M ones of the plurality of descriptors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.