Apparatus and method for supporting higher data rates on links with variable frame sizes

A method of receiving Internet Protocol (IP) datagrams bundled within frames of variable frame sizes, comprising:

• receiving a frame of communicated data including a frame header and a frame payload;
• inspecting a first byte within the frame payload to determine if the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• obtaining information from a bundle header within the frame payload to locate at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload if the first byte indicates that the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• extracting the at least one bundled IP datagram from the frame payload;
• and
• providing the extracted IP datagram to an IP layer for processing.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor,
• wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• determining a number of IP datagrams that can fit within a frame payload;
• generating a bundle header including information indicating that the bundle header is associated with at least one bundled IP datagram and information indicating a location of at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload;
• joining the bundle header to at least one of the bundled IP datagrams to form a data payload;
• and
• communicating the data payload as the frame payload without indicating in a frame header of that the frame includes bundled IP datagrams.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor,
• wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• inspecting a first byte within a frame payload to determine if the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• obtaining information from a bundle header within the frame payload to locate at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload if the first byte indicates that the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• extracting the at least one bundled IP datagram from the frame payload;
• and
• providing the extracted IP datagram to an IP layer for processing.

A computer, comprising:

• means for determining a number of IP datagrams that can fit within a frame payload;
• means for generating a bundle header including information indicating that the bundle header is associated with at least one bundled IP datagram and information indicating a location of at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload;
• means for joining the bundle header to at least one of the bundled IP datagrams to form a data payload;
• and
• means for communicating the data payload as the frame payload without indicating in a frame header of that the frame includes bundled IP datagrams.

A computer, comprising:

• means for receiving a frame of communicated data including a frame header and a frame payload;
• means for inspecting a first byte within the frame payload to determine if the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• means for obtaining information from a bundle header within the frame payload to locate at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload if the first byte indicates that the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• means for extracting the at least one bundled IP datagram from the frame payload;
• and
• means for providing the extracted IP datagram to an IP layer for processing.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor of a computer to perform steps comprising:

• determining a number of IP datagrams that can fit within a frame payload;
• generating a bundle header including information indicating that the bundle header is associated with at least one bundled IP datagram and information indicating a location of at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload;
• joining the bundle header to at least one of the bundled IP datagrams to form a data payload;
• and
• communicating the data payload as the frame payload without indicating in a frame header of that the frame includes bundled IP datagrams.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor of a computer to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a frame of communicated data including a frame header and a frame payload;
• inspecting a first byte within the frame payload to determine if the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• obtaining information from a bundle header within the frame payload to locate at least one bundled IP datagram within the frame payload if the first byte indicates that the frame payload includes bundled IP datagrams;
• extracting the at least one bundled IP datagram from the frame payload;
• and
• providing the extracted IP datagram to an IP layer for processing.