US 2009/0157916 A1 · Scalable Port Controller Architecture Supporting Data Streams Of Different Speeds

Abstract

A scalable port controller architecture supporting data streams of different speeds. In an embodiment, a port controller contains high speed receptor units and low speed receptor units, and a port routing logic connecting each external device (on corresponding port) to one of the receptors according to various registers. The port routing logic may connect an external device to one of the receptors, which determines the data rate at which data on a corresponding virtual connection from the external device is being received/sent. If the receptor does not have sufficient capacity (based on the data rate) to communicate with the external device, the connection is moved to other receptors, potentially in another control unit.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A port controller in a device providing connectivity to external devices, said port controller comprising:

a first low speed unit and a second low speed unit to communicate with external devices at a low data rate;
a first high speed unit and a second high speed unit to communicate with external devices at a high data rate;
a port connected to an external device by a physical communication path;
and
a port routing logic to first connect said external device to one of said first low speed unit and said first high speed unit, wherein the connected ones of the units determines a rate at which said external device is communicating,
said port routing logic determining whether said connected one of said first low speed unit and said high speed unit have sufficient capacity to communicate with said external device, and
said port routing logic connecting said external device to said second low speed unit or said second high speed unit if neither said first low speed unit nor said first high speed unit has sufficient additional capacity to communicate with said external device.

4 more elements

A device to communicate with a plurality of external devices, said device comprising:

a random access memory storing a plurality of instructions and data;
a central processing unit (CPU) executing said plurality of instructions using said data;
a port controller communicatively coupled to said CPU, said port controller containing a plurality of control units including a first control unit and a second control unit, said first control unit containing a receptor having a limit on the aggregate rate of connections served by said receptor;
a port routing logic to first connect an external device to said first control unit and determine a rate at which said external device is to communicate, said port routing logic determining whether said limit would be exceeded if said external device is connected to said receptor, said port routing logic moving a connection from said first control unit to said second control unit if said limit would be exceeded.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Scalable Port Controller Architecture Supporting Data Streams Of Different Speeds

Life of this patent

Scalable Port Controller Architecture Supporting Data Streams Of Different Speeds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14