Generic high bandwidth adapter providing data communications between diverse communication networks and computer system

A generic high bandwidth adapter for a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, comprising:

• a. a generic adapter manager means, including a logic means for preparing future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, a generic adapter manager memory for storing the prepared future responses at specified addresses in the memory, and a generic adapter manager bus for carrying the requests for communication services, and responses to the requests for communication services;
• b. a packet memory means for storing packet data;
• c. a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, with each user including a packet memory interface for sending a current request for communication services to the generic adapter manager means, such as a request for the receipt of data, a request for the transmission of data, and a request for a next buffer, and wherein each user of communication services sends a current request for communication services by executing a memory read operation which reads the prepared response at a specified address in the generic adapter manager memory;
• d. said generic adapter manager means prepares future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, with the future responses being functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data, and storing the future responses at specified addresses in memory concurrently with the transmission of current responses to the users of communication services;
• e. a generic adapter bus for connecting together said packet memory means, said generic adapter manager means, and the packet memory interfaces;
• and
• f. wherein a status notification arrangement is used to notify each said packet memory interface of the existence of data packets in at least one of the queues forming their respective transmit queue sets and comprising a status register, wherein each bit therein corresponds to a queue and indicates whether that queue is empty, with a state change of the status register being broadest to all packet memory interfaces over said generic adapter bus.

A generic high bandwidth adapter for a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, comprising:

• a. a generic adapter manager means, including a logic means for preparing future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, a generic adapter manager memory for storing the prepared future responses at specified addresses in the memory, and a generic adapter manager bus for carrying the requests for communication services;
• b. a packet memory means for storing packet data;
• c. a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, with each user including a packet memory interface for sending a current request for communication services to the generic adapter manager means, such as a request for the receipt of data, a request for the transmission of data, and a request for a next buffer, and wherein each packet memory interface includes speed matching staging buffers to allow the transmission of data at different transmission rates, and wherein each user of communication services sends a current request for communication services by executing a memory read operation which reads the prepared response at a specified address in the generic adapter manager memory;
• and
• d. said generic adapter manager means prepares future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, with the future responses being functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data, and storing the future responses at specified addresses in memory concurrently with the transmission of current responses to the users of communication services.

A generic high bandwidth adapter for a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, comprising:

• a. a generic adapter manager means, including a logic means for preparing future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, a generic adapter manager memory for storing the prepared future responses at specified addresses in the memory, and a generic adapter manager bus for carrying the requests for communication services, and responses to the requests for communication services;
• b. a packet memory means for storing packet data;
• c. a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, with each user including a packet memory interface for sending a current request for communication services to the generic adapter manager means, such as a request for the receipt of data, a request for the transmission of data, and a request for a next buffer, and wherein each user of communication services sends a current request for communication services by executing a memory read operation which reads the prepared response at a specified address in the generic adapter manager memory;
• d. said generic adapter manager means prepares future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, with the future responses being functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data, and storing the future responses at specified addresses in memory concurrently with the transmission of current responses to the users of communication services;
• and
• e. wherein said generic adapter manager means defines a queue set for each packet memory interface comprising a group of queues which can be treated collectively as one operand for a given queue set operation.

A generic high bandwidth adapter for a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, comprising:

• a. a generic adapter manager means, including a logic means for preparing future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, a generic adapter manager memory for storing the prepared future responses at specified addresses in the memory, and a generic adapter manager bus for carrying the requests for communication services, and responses to the requests for communication services;
• b. a packet memory means for storing packet data in buffers, wherein the packet memory means is organized as a three level hierarchy comprising a first level of queue sets, each of which is comprised of a second level of linked lists of data packets, with each data packet being comprised of a third level list of buffers, and wherein said buffers can be linked to more than one data packet, as when attaching identical header control information portions to several data packets;
• c. a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, with each user including a packet memory interface for sending a current request for communication services to the generic adapter manager means, such as a request for the receipt of data, a request for the transmission of data, and a request for a next buffer, and wherein each user of communication services sends a current request for communication services by executing a memory read operation which reads the prepared response at a specified address in the generic adapter manager memory;
• and
• d. said generic adapter manager means prepares future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, with the future responses being functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data, and storing the future responses at specified addresses in memory concurrently with the transmission of current responses to the users of communication services.

A generic high bandwidth adapter for a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, comprising:

• a. a generic adapter manager means, including a logic means for preparing future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, a generic adapter manager memory for storing the prepared future responses at specified addresses in the memory, and a generic adapter manager bus for carrying the requests for communication services, and responses to the requests for communication services;
• b. a packet memory means for storing packet data in buffers, wherein the packet memory means is organized as a three level hierarchy comprising a first level of queue sets, each of which is comprised of a second level of linked lists of data packets, with each data packet being comprised of a third level list of buffers, and the data portions of the data packets can be linked to different header control information portions, without duplicating or erasing the data portions until the last data packet using a data portion is transmitted;
• c. a plurality of users of communication services, such as a plurality of communication networks or computer buses, with each user including a packet memory interface for sending a current request for communication services to the generic adapter manager means, such as a request for the receipt of data, a request for the transmission of data, and a request for a next buffer, and wherein each user of communication services sends a current request for communication services by executing a memory read operation which reads the prepared response at a specified address in the generic adapter manager memory;
• and
• d. said generic adapter manager means prepares future responses to anticipated requests for communication services, with the future responses being functions of the current requests for communication services, such as preparing a response for an anticipated request for a next buffer by a current request for a receipt of data, and storing the future responses at specified addresses in memory concurrently with the transmission of current responses to the users of communication services.