Transport convergence sub-system with shared resources for multiport xDSL system

A data movement system for use in connection with the movement of data objects in machine readable form in a communications system for processing a stream of communications data, the data movement system comprising:

• a first application-specific integrated circuit block (ASIC) and a second ASIC coupled to a common local bus;
• a scheduling circuit used for transferring a machine readable data object to and from said ASICs, wherein said machine readable data object consisting of a structure incorporating a parameter portion and a data portion;
• said first ASIC and said second ASIC each being configured to be capable of performing different processing functions in connection with a stream of communications data, wherein the different processing functions are controlled in part by parameter information in machine readable from associated with said parameter portion;
• and
• wherein the data movement system is part of a logical hybrid pipeline processor that is comprised in part by a software-based processing circuitry block coupled to said scheduling circuit, said first ASIC, and said second ASIC.

A method for moving data objects in machine readable form through a portion of a logical pipeline in a communications system for processing a stream of communications data associated with a remote communications system, said method comprising the steps of:

• using a data object memory for storing the machine readable data object;
• using a local bus to transfer the machine readable data object, said data object consisting of a structure incorporating a parameter portion and a data portion;
• performing a first type of computation on said data object in connection with a stream of communications data using a first signal processing circuit;
• performing a second type of computation on said data object in connection with a second stream of communications data using a second signal processing circuit, wherein said first type of computation and said second type of computation are different operations;
• scheduling said transfer of said machine readable data object between said first and second signal processing circuits using a data object memory and/or an external data object memory;
• wherein said first type of computation and said second type of computation are controlled in part by parameter information in machine readable form associated with said parameter portion.

A method for moving data objects in machine readable form through a transport convergence (TC) subsystem in a communications system for processing a stream of communications data, the method comprising:

• providing a local bus associated with the transfer of a machine readable data object between a data object memory and a first application-specific integrated circuit block (ASIC) and a second ASIC both located within the TC subsystem, wherein said machine readable data object consisting of a structure incorporating a parameter portion and a data portion;
• said first ASIC and said second ASIC each being configured to be capable of performing different processing functions in connection with a stream of communications data, wherein the different processing functions are controlled in part by parameter information in machine readable form associated with said parameter portion;
• and
• wherein first ASIC and said second ASIC and said data object memory are operated as a logical pipeline processor.