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US 6,275,861 B1Granted
Method and apparatus to identify flows in data systems
AssigneePMC-Sierra, Inc.
InventorsImran Chaudri, Srini Wishnu Seetharam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Flows in data streams are identified according to a simple but flexible device whereby searching for a flow identification is done according to a standard routine that can be accomplished with customized circuitry. Flexibility is achieved by allowing parameters of the search routine to be specified in memory which can be programmably altered. Speed and flexibility are thereby both achieved.
Claims5
A semiconductor integrated circuit device for use in a system in a network to distinguish data flows from one another comprising:
- at least one input for receiving data units which make up flows;
- at least one search memory for storing data structures corresponding to a plurality of flow identifications;
- at least one search engine for performing searches at a rate greater than the arrival rate at said input of data, said search engine comprising a first dedicated hardware logic element having registers, said first logic element for storing searching parameters coupled to receive said data units, said first dedicated hardware logic element further for performing a substantially simultaneous recursive search on a plurality of fields of each of said data units according to flow identifications in said search memory to yield flow identifications of said data units;
- and
- at least one packet processing routing unit comprising a second dedicated hardware logic element having registers, said second dedicated hardware logic element for routing packets in accordance with flow definitions derived from said flow identifications provided by said data structures.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.