Multimedia communication apparatus and methods

A method of controlling the delivery of data to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus from a host bus system using a transmit engine, comprising the steps of:

• a) issuing a request to a local bus interface by the transmit engine to fetch a descriptor list for the transfer of data from the system;
• b) assigning a queue to a temporary storge buffer in the transmit engine;
• c) issuing a request to the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to begin filling the temporary storage buffer;
• d) issuing a request to the controller by the transmit engine to begin unloading the temporary storage buffer and filling the storage queues;
• e) signalling the transmit engine by the controller when the queue is almost full;
• and
• f) signalling the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to stop filling the temporary storage buffer.

A method of controlling the delivery of data from a host bus system using a slave transmit engine to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor, a local processor bus and a local memory comprising the steps:

• a) assigning a queue to a temporary storage buffer contained in the slave transmit engine;
• b) using the system interface unit to load the temporary storage buffer with data from the host bus system;
• c) using the controller to transfer data from the temporary storage buffer to the queue indicated by a system address;
• and
• d) transferring the data to the queue using a streaming data or basic transfer mode.

Apparatus for controlling the delivery of data from an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus to a host bus system using a receive engine, comprising:

• a) means for storing data in the queues;
• b) means for issuing a request by the receive engine to the system for data delivery;
• c) means for issuing a request by the receive engine to a local bus interface for (i) data delivery and (ii) a descriptor list of addresses in the system for the storage of data;
• d) means for assigning a temporary storage buffer to a filled queue by the receive engine;
• e) means for filling the temporary storage buffer with data from the queues by the controller on signal from the receive engine;
• and
• f) means for signalling the system by the receive engine to empty the buffer to the system at addresses specified in the descriptor list.

Apparatus for controlling the delivery of data from a host bus system using a transmit engine to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus, comprising:

• a) means for issuing a request to a local bus interface by the transmit engine to fetch a descriptor list for the transfer of data from the system;
• b) means for assigning a queue to a temporary storage buffer in the transmit engine;
• c) means for issuing a request to the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to begin filling the temporary storage buffer;
• d) means for issuing a request to the controller by the transmit engine to begin unloading the temporary storage buffer and filling the storage queues;
• e) means for signalling the transmit engine by the controller when the queue is almost full;
• and
• f) means for signalling the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to stop filling the temporary storage buffer.

Apparatus for controlling the delivery of data from an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus to a host bus system comprising:

• a) means for issuing a request to a slave transport port by a data device coupled to the system to write directly to a queue;
• b) means for issuing a request to the controller by the slave transmit port for assignment of a storage queue to store system data;
• c) means for loading a storage buffer in the slave transmit port by the system;
• and
• d) means for emptying the storage buffer by the controller to a queue indicated by a system address.

Apparatus controlling the delivery of data from a host bus system using a slave transmit engine to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor, a local processor bus and a local memory comprising:

• a) means for assigning a queue to a temporary storage buffer contained in the slave transmit engine;
• b) means for using the system interface unit to load the temporary storage buffer with data from the host bus system;
• c) means for using the controller to transfer data from the temporary storage buffer to the queue indicated by a system address;
• and
• d) means for transferring the data to the queue using a streaming data or basic transfer mode.

An article of manufacturing comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for controlling the delivery of data from an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus to a host bus system using a receive engine, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacturing comprising:
• a) computer readable program code means for storing data in the queues;
• b) computer readable program code means for issuing a request by the receive engine to the system for data delivery;
• c) computer readable program code means for issuing a request by the receive engine to a local bus interface for (i) data delivery and (ii) a descriptor list of addresses in the system for the storage of data;
• d) computer readable code means for assigning a temporary storage buffer to a filled queue by the receive engine;
• e) computer readable code means for filling the temporary storage buffer with data from the queues by the controller on signal from the receive engine;
• and
• f) computer readable code means for signalling the system by the receive engine to empty the buffer to the system at addresses specified in the descriptor list.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for controlling the delivery of data from a host bus system using a transmit engine to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor and a local processor bus, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:
• a) computer readable program code means for issuing a request to a local bus interface by the transmit engine to fetch a descriptor list for the transfer of data from the system;
• b) computer readable program code means for assigning a queue to a temporary storage buffer in the transmit engine;
• c) computer readable program code means for issuing a request to the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to begin filling the temporary storage buffer;
• d) computer readable program code means for issuing a request to the controller by the transmit engine to begin unloading the temporary storage buffer and filling the storage queues;
• e) computer readable program code means for signalling the transmit engine by the controller when the queue is almost full;
• and
• f) computer readable program code means for signalling the system or the local bus by the transmit engine to stop filling the temporary storage buffer.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for controlling the delivery of data from a host bus system using a slave transmit engine to an adapter including a controller, storage queues, a local processor, a local processor bus and a local memory, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:
• a) computer readable program code means for assigning a queue to a temporary storage buffer contained in the slave transmit engine;
• b) computer readable program code means for using a system interface unit to load the temporary storage buffer with data from the host bus system;
• c) computer readable program code means for using the controller to transfer data from the temporary storage buffer to the queue indicated by a system address;
• and
• d) computer readable program code means for transferring the data to the queue using a streaming data or basic transfer mode.