Reordering of out-of-order packets

A signal embedded in a carrier medium and encoded with software instructions to perform the following operations when executed by a computer:

• (1) receiving packets and assigning sequence numbers to the packets;
• (2) using each packet's sequence number to assign a command buffer to the packet so that each two packets with consecutive sequence numbers are assigned different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein the computer is operable to have at least two commands for at least two of the packets to be written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in an order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (5) wherein if any command buffer C1 holds commands for at least two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 having an earlier assigned sequence number than the packet P2, and another command buffer holds a command for another packet P3 preceding P2 but not P1, then the operation (4) is performed for the packet P1, then for the packet P3, then for the packet P2.

A method for processing packets, the method comprising:

• (1) receiving the packets and assigning sequence numbers to the packets;
• (2) using the packets' sequence numbers to assign command buffers to the packets so that each two packets with consecutive sequence numbers are assigned respective two different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein at least two commands for at least two of the packets are written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in the order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (5) wherein for at least one command buffer C1 which holds commands for at least two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 having an earlier assigned sequence number than the packet P2, the operation (4) is performed so as to transfer the packet P1, then a packet assigned another command buffer, then the packet P2.

A method for processing packets, the method comprising:

• (1) sequentially receiving the packets in a first order;
• (2) assigning command buffers to the packets so that each two consecutive packets are assigned respective two different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein at least two commands for at least two of the packets are written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order in which the packets were received in the operation (1);
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in the first order;
• (5) wherein for at least one command buffer C1 which holds commands for two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 preceding the packet P2 in the first order, the operation (4) is performed so as to transfer the packet P1, then a packet assigned another command buffer, then the packet P2.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of command buffers;
• and
• circuitry for:
• (1) receiving packets and assigning sequence numbers to the packets;
• (2) using each packet's sequence number to assign a command buffer to the packet so that each two packets with consecutive sequence numbers are assigned different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein the computer is operable to have at least two commands for at least two of the packets to be written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in an order in which the corresponding sequence numbers are assigned to the packets in the operation (1);
• (5) wherein if any command buffer C1 holds commands for at least two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 having an earlier assigned sequence number than the packet P2, and another command buffer holds a command for another packet P3 preceding P2 but not P1, then the operation (4) is performed for the packet P1, then for the packet P3, then for the packet P2.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of command buffers;
• and
• circuitry for:
• (1) sequentially receiving packets in a first order;
• (2) assigning command buffers to the packets so that each two consecutive packets are assigned different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein the computer is operable to have at least two commands for at least two of the packets to be written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order corresponding to the first order of the at least two packets;
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in the first order;
• (5) wherein for at least one command buffer C1 which holds commands for two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 preceding the packet P2 in the first order, and another command buffer holds a command for another packet P3 preceding P2 but not P 1, the operation (4) is performed for the packet P1, then for the packet P3, then for the packet P2.

A computer readable storage medium encoded with software instructions to perform the following operations when executed by a computer:

• (1) sequentially receiving packets in a first order;
• (2) assigning command buffers to the packets so that each two consecutive packets are assigned different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein the computer is operable to have at least two commands for at least two of the packets to be written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order corresponding to the first order of the at least two packets;
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in the first order;
• (5) wherein for at least one command buffer C1 which holds commands for two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 preceding the packet P2 in the first order, and another command buffer holds a command for another packet P3 preceding P2 but not P1, the operation (4) is performed for the packet P1, then for the packet P3, then for the packet P2.

A signal embedded in a carrier medium and encoded with software instructions to perform the following operations when executed by a computer:

• (1) sequentially receiving packets in a first order;
• (2) assigning command buffers to the packets so that each two consecutive packets are assigned different command buffers;
• (3) writing commands for the packets to the packets' assigned command buffers, wherein the computer is operable to have at least two commands for at least two of the packets to be written to different command buffers simultaneously or not in an order corresponding to the first order of the at least two packets;
• (4) reading the commands from the command buffers and executing the commands to transfer the packets in the first order;
• (5) wherein for at least one command buffer C1 which holds commands for two packets P1 and P2 with the packet P1 preceding the packet P2 in the first order, and another command buffer holds a command for another packet P3 preceding P2 but not P1, the operation (4) is performed for the packet P1, then for the packet P3, then for the packet P2.