US 6,604,145 B1 · Method and system for controlling information flow in a high frequency digital system from a producer to a buffering consumer via an intermediate buffer and a shared data path

Abstract

An information handling system includes a plurality of producers that output packets of information, at least one consumer of the packets, and an information pipeline coupling the consumer and at least a particular producer among the plurality of producers. The information pipeline includes a shared resource having a bandwidth shared by multiple of the plurality of producers. The information handling system further includes a control unit that regulates packet output of the particular producer and that receives as inputs a producer output indication indicating that the particular producer output a packet and a shared resource input indication indicating that a packet output by the particular producer has been accepted by the shared resource for transmission to the consumer. Based upon these inputs, a number of grant messages output to the particular producer within a feedback latency of the control unit, and a portion of the bandwidth allocated to the particular producer, the control unit whether the particular producer can output a packet without packet loss. In response to a determination that the particular producer can output a packet without packet loss, the control unit outputs a grant message to the particular producer indicating that the particular producer is permitted to output a packet.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method of dynamically controlling ongoing packet flow from a producer among multiple producers to at least one consumer via an information pipeline containing an intermediate shared resource having a bandwidth, said method comprising:

at a control unit, receiving as inputs producer output indications each indicating that the producer has output a packet and shared resource input indications each indicating that a packet previously output by the producer has been accepted by said shared resource for transmission to said at least one consumer;
at said control unit, repetitively determining during ongoing packet flow from the producer to said at least one consumer whether said producer can output a packet without packet loss based upon how many packets have been output by said producer as indicated by said producer output indications, how many packets have been input into said shared resource as indicated by said shared resource input indications, bow many packets said control unit has permitted to be output by said producer as indicated by grant messages transmitted to said producer within a feedback latency of said control unit, and a portion of said bandwidth allocated to said producer, wherein said feedback latency includes a first latency for a producer output indication to reach said control unit from said producer and a second latency for a grant message generated by said control unit to reach said producer from said control unit and wherein said control unit determines whether said producer can output a packet without packet loss independently of any signaling by said at least one consumer;
and
in response to a determination that said producer can output a packet without packet loss, said control unit generating and outputting a grant message to said producer indicating that said producer is permitted to output a packet.

1 more element

An information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of producers that outputs packets of information and at least one consumer of said packets;
an information pipeline coupling said at least one consumer and at least a particular producer among said plurality of producers, wherein said information pipeline includes a shared resource having a bandwidth shared by multiple of said plurality of producers;
and
a control unit that dynamically regulates ongoing packet output of said particular producer, said control unit receiving as inputs producer output indications each indicating that said particular producer has output a packet and shared resource input indications each indicating that a packet previously output by said particular producer has been accepted by said shared resource for transmission to said at least one consumer, wherein said control unit repetitively determines during ongoing packet flow from the particular producer to said at least one consumer whether said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss based upon how many packets have been output by said particular producer as indicated by said producer output indications, how many packets have been input into said shared resource as indicated by said shared resource input indications, how many packets said control unit has permitted to be output by said particular producer as indicated by grant messages transmitted to said particular producer within a feedback latency of said control unit, and a portion of said bandwidth allocated to said particular producer, and, responsive to a determination that said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss, generates and outputs a grant message to said particular producer indicating that said particular producer is permitted to output a packet;
wherein said feedback latency includes a first latency for a producer output indication to reach said control unit from said particular producer and a second latency for a grant message generated by said control unit to reach said particular producer from said control unit;
and
wherein said control unit determines whether said producer can output a packet without packet loss independently of any signaling by said at least one consumer.

4 more elements

A controller for dynamically controlling ongoing packet transfer from a particular producer to at least one consumer via an information pipeline including a shared resource having a bandwidth shared by multiple producers, said controller comprising:

an input set including producer output indications each indicating that said particular producer has output a packet and shared resource input indications each indicating that a packet previously output by said particular producer has been accepted by said shared resource for transmission to said at least one consumer;
and
determination logic that repetitively determines during ongoing packet flow from the particular producer to said at least one consumer whether said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss, based upon how many packets have been output by said particular producer as indicated by said producer output indications, how many packets have been input into said shared resource as indicated by said shared resource input indications, how many packet said control unit has permitted to be output by said particular producer as indicated by grant messages transmitted to said particular producer within a feedback latency of said controller, and a portion of said bandwidth allocated to said particular producer, and, responsive to a determination that said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss, generates and outputs a grant message to said particular producer indicating that said particular producer is permitted to output a packet,
wherein said feedback latency includes a first latency for a producer output indication to reach said control unit from said particular producer and a second latency for a grant message generated by said controller to reach said particular producer from said control unit;
and
wherein said control unit determines whether said producer can output a packet without packet loss independently of any signaling said at least one consumer.

3 more elements

A program product for dynamically controlling ongoing packet transfer from a particular producer to at least one consumer via an information pipeline including a shared resource having a bandwidth shared by multiple producers, said program product comprising:

input code that obtains an input set including producer output indications each indicating that said particular producer has output a packet and shared resource input indications each indicating that a packet previously output by said particular producer has been accepted by said shared resource for transmission to said at least one consumer;
and
determination code that repetitively determines during ongoing packet flow from the particular producer to said at least one consumer whether said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss based upon how many packets have been output by said particular producer as indicated by said producer output indications, how many packets have been input into said shared resource as indicated by said shared resource input indications, how many packets said control unit has permitted to be output by said particular producer as indicated by grant messages transmitted to said particular producer within a control feedback latency, and a portion of said bandwidth allocated to said particular producer, and, responsive to a determination that said particular producer can output a packet without packet loss, generates and outputs a grant message to said particular producer indicating that said particular producer is permitted to output a packet, wherein said control feedback latency includes a first latency for a producer output indication to reach said determination code from said particular producer and a second latency for a grant message generated by said determination code to reach said particular producer, and wherein said control unit determines whether said producer can output a packet without packet loss independently of any signaling by said at least one consumer;
and
a data processing system usable medium encoding said input code and said determination code.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for controlling information flow in a high frequency digital system from a producer to a buffering consumer via an intermediate buffer and a shared data path

Life of this patent

Method and system for controlling information flow in a high frequency digital system from a producer to a buffering consumer via an intermediate buffer and a shared data path

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39