Integrated circuit that processes communication packets with scheduler circuitry that executes scheduling algorithms based on cached scheduling parameters
AssigneeMindspeed Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilson P. Snyder II, Joseph B. Tompkins, Daniel J. Lussier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit processes a communication packet and comprises a core processor and scheduling circuitry. The core processor executes a software application that directs the core processor to process the communication packet. The scheduling circuitry retrieves first scheduling parameters cached in a context buffer for the packet and executes a first algorithm based on the first scheduling parameters to schedule subsequent transmission of the communication packet.
Claims18
An integrated circuit that processes communication packets the integrated circuit comprising:
- a core processor configured to execute a software application that directs the core processor to process the communication packets;
- a coprocessor comprising a plurality of context buffers for storing context associated with packets wherein each of said context buffers having an in-use counter indicating the number of packets associated with the contents of said buffer,
- the co-processor configured to automatically pre-fetch and store context for each packet into the context buffers wherein first scheduling parameters are part of the context, whereby the context is preserved until the in-use counter reaches zero, and
- scheduling circuitry configured to retrieve the first scheduling parameters stored in the context buffer for each packet and execute a first algorithm based on the first scheduling parameters to schedule subsequent transmission of the communication packet.
A method of operating an integrated circuit to process communication packets, the method comprising:
- in a core processor, executing a software application that directs the core processor to process the communication packets;
- in a co-processor, storing context associated with packets in a plurality of context buffers, wherein each of said context buffers having an in-use counter indicating the number of packets associated with the contents of said buffer,
- in the co-processor, automatically pre-fetching and storing context for each packet into the context buffers wherein first scheduling parameters are part of the context, whereby the context is preserved until the in-use counter reaches zero, and
- in scheduling circuitry, retrieving first scheduling parameters stored in the context buffer for each packet and executing a first algorithm based on the first scheduling parameters to schedule subsequent transmission of the communication packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.