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Method and apparatus for allocating and de-allocating consecutive blocks of memory in background memory management

  • US 20020016883A1
  • Filed: 06/14/2001
  • Published: 02/07/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for allocating storage of incoming data packets into a memory of a packet processor, comprising:

  • a first facility mapping a first block of memory of a fixed block size in bytes into an ordered plurality of atomic pages comprising each a fixed byte size;

    a second facility mapping the same block of memory into ordered virtual pages of different sizes, ranging from a smaller virtual page size equal to the atomic page size up to a larger virtual page size equal to the fixed block size;

    a third facility to allocate virtual pages as unavailable for storage or de-allocate virtual pages as available for storage;

    a fourth facility to receive a data packet, ascertain packet size for the received packet, and to determine fit by checking allocation state for virtual pages of a smallest size that is equal to or larger than the packet size, then allocation state for next larger virtual pages, and so on, until a de-allocated, available virtual page is found; and

    a fifth facility to select a virtual page to store the packet, and to update and mark associated atomic pages in the selected virtual page as available or unavailable for storage, in an ordered manner;

    characterized in that, after each selection by the fifth facility, state of all atomic and virtual pages is updated.

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