Method and apparatus for receiving interleaved streams of packets through a circular buffer
First Claim
1. A method for receiving multiple streams of Internet Protocol (IP) packets that are interleaved together into a single stream of transport packets, comprising:
- receiving the single stream of transport packets, wherein the single stream of transport packets includes multiple streams of IP packets that converted into transport protocol packets and are then interleaved together into the single stream of transport packets;
using the single stream of transport packets to reassemble IP packets for the multiple streams of IP packets within a single IP packet buffer;
keeping track of the order in which reassembly is completed for IP packets within the single IP packet buffer;
reading the IP packets out of the single IP packet buffer in the order in which reassembly is completed; and
forwarding the reassembled IP packets to their destinations as specified by IP addresses contained in the IP packets.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that reassembles multiple streams of Internet Protocol (IP) packets that have been converted into a single interleaved stream of transport protocol packets. Upon receiving the stream of the transport packets, the system reassembles the IP packets within a single IP packet buffer. At the same time, the system keeps track of the order in which reassembly is completed for the IP packets. This enables the system to read the IP packets out of the single IP packet buffer in the order in which reassembly is completed before forwarding the reassembled IP packets to destinations specified by IP addresses contained in the IP packets. Note that reading the IP packets out of the IP packet buffer in this order can minimize the latency for individual streams of IP packets because a given IP packet that is completed first does not have to wait for a previously started IP packet that has not been completed. Furthermore, using a single buffer for reassembling the multiple streams of IP packets greatly reduces the amount of memory required to assemble the IP packets.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for receiving multiple streams of Internet Protocol (IP) packets that are interleaved together into a single stream of transport packets, comprising:
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receiving the single stream of transport packets, wherein the single stream of transport packets includes multiple streams of IP packets that converted into transport protocol packets and are then interleaved together into the single stream of transport packets;
using the single stream of transport packets to reassemble IP packets for the multiple streams of IP packets within a single IP packet buffer;
keeping track of the order in which reassembly is completed for IP packets within the single IP packet buffer;
reading the IP packets out of the single IP packet buffer in the order in which reassembly is completed; and
forwarding the reassembled IP packets to their destinations as specified by IP addresses contained in the IP packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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13. An apparatus that is configured to receive multiple streams of Internet Protocol (IP) packets that are interleaved together into a single stream of transport packets, comprising:
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a receiver that is configured to receive the single stream of transport packets, wherein the single stream of transport packets includes multiple streams of IP packets that converted into transport protocol packets and are then interleaved together into the single stream of transport packets;
a single IP packet buffer in which IP packets are reassembled;
a reassembly mechanism that is configured to reassemble IP packets for the multiple streams of IP packets from the single stream of transport packets;
an ordering mechanism that is configured to keep track of the order in which reassembly is completed for IP packets within the single IP packet buffer;
a reading mechanism that is configured to read the IP packets out of the single IP packet buffer in the order in which reassembly is completed; and
a forwarding mechanism that is configured to forward the reassembled IP packets to their destinations as specified by IP addresses contained in the IP packets.
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Specification