Method and system for nesting of communications packets
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting packets, the method comprising:
- receiving a first packet;
transmitting a portion of the received first packet;
receiving a second packet;
upon receiving the second packet, stopping the transmitting of the first packet so that not all of the first packet has been transmitted;
transmitting a preempt indicator;
transmitting the second packet; and
upon completion of transmitting the second packet, transmitting a continue indicator; and
transmitting the portion of the first packet that has not yet been transmitted.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A serial communications architecture for communicating between hosts and data store devices. The Storage Link architecture is specially adapted to support communications between multiple hosts and storage devices via a switching network, such as a storage area network. The Storage Link architecture specifies various communications techniques that can be combined to reduce the overall cost and increase the overall performance of communications. The Storage Link architecture may provide packet ordering based on packet type, dynamic segmentation of packets, asymmetric packet ordering, packet nesting, variable-sized packet headers, and use of out-of-band symbols to transmit control information as described below in more detail. The Storage Link architecture may also specify encoding techniques to optimize transitions and to ensure DC-balance.
108 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting packets, the method comprising:
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receiving a first packet;
transmitting a portion of the received first packet;
receiving a second packet;
upon receiving the second packet, stopping the transmitting of the first packet so that not all of the first packet has been transmitted;
transmitting a preempt indicator;
transmitting the second packet; and
upon completion of transmitting the second packet, transmitting a continue indicator; and
transmitting the portion of the first packet that has not yet been transmitted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for receiving packets, the method comprising:
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receiving a first portion of symbols of a first packet;
receiving a preempt indicator indicating that a second packet of symbols is to be received;
receiving the second packet of symbols;
receiving a continue indicator indicating that a second portion of symbols of the first packet is to be received; and
receiving the second portion of symbols of the first packet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for transmitting packets via a communications link, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first portion of a first packet;
transmitting a preempt indicator indicating that a second packet is to be transmitted;
transmitting the second packet;
transmitting a continue indicator indicating that a second portion of the first packet is to be transmitted; and
transmitting the second portion of the first packet wherein the first and second packets and the preempt and continue indicators are transmitted via the same communications link. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A communications device for transmitting packets via a communications link, comprising
a transmission component that transmits a first packet; - and
a preemption component that signals the transmission component to stop transmitting the first packet, transmits a preempt indicator indicating that a second packet is to be transmitted, transmits the second packet, and signals the transmission component to continue transmitting the first packet. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification