High performance read-modify-write system providing line-rate merging of dataframe segments in hardware

An apparatus for merging data frames, the apparatus comprising:

• one or more devices configured to receive a first data frame comprising a plurality of sectors and a second data frame comprising a plurality of sectors;
• and
• circuitry comprising a plurality of data paths comprising a plurality of multiplexers, the circuitry configured to:
• generate, using the plurality of data paths, a merged output data frame by merging sectors of the second data frame with sectors of the first data frame;
• and
• perform an error check on at least one check-data frame that comprises sectors corresponding to those in the first data frame or the second data frame,
• wherein at least some of the sectors in the check-data frame are transmitted on a subset of the plurality of data paths that transmits sectors of the merged output data frame,
• wherein the error check verifies the merged output data frame.

The apparatus of claim, 13 wherein the circuitry is further configured to perform the error check by at least:

• performing an error check on two check-data frames including:
• a first check-data frame including sectors corresponding to those in the first data frame;
• and
• a second check-data frame including sectors corresponding to those in the second data frame.

A method of merging data frames, the method comprising:

• receiving a first data frame comprising a plurality of sectors;
• receiving a second data frame comprising a plurality of sectors;
• and
• generating a merged output data frame based on the first data frame and the second data frame, the generating comprising, for each address slot in the merged output data frame, selecting a sector from either the first data frame or the second data frame based on a merge mask.

An apparatus for merging data frames, the apparatus comprising:

• a first circuit configured to receive a first data frame comprising a plurality of sectors;
• a second circuit configured to receive a second data frame comprising a plurality of sectors;
• and
• a plurality of data paths configured to generate a merged output data frame based on the first data frame and the second data frame,
• wherein the generating comprises, for each address slot in the merged output data frame, selecting a sector from either the first data frame or the second data frame based on a merge mask.