HIGH SPEED BUS WITH FLOW CONTROL AND EXTENDED BURST ENHANCEMENTS

• US 20070274218A1
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Hunnicutt, Dwayne, Fatheree, Kevin, Khattar, Sid, SWENSON, ERIK, Haddock, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,724,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/423 with synchronous protocol

Abstract

In a networked system, in which high speed busses interconnect sources and destinations of data, systems for and methods of flow control and extended burst transfers are described. The present invention is directed to a system for selectively varying the number of burst transfers used to transmit a block of data. The present invention is also directed to a method of selectively varying the number of burst transfers needed to transmit a block of data.

Claims

1. In a networked system, a system for selectively varying the number of burst transfers used to transmit a block of data comprising:

first logic for transmitting a block of data as n bursts if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts exceeds a threshold level, wherein n is an integer of two or more; and

second logic for transmitting the block of data as less than n bursts if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts is less than or equal to the threshold level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second logic is configured to transmit the block of data as n−

1 bursts of one or more predetermined sizes if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts is less than or equal to the threshold level, the n−

1 bursts comprising n−

2 bursts of a first predetermined size, and one burst having a second predetermined extended size equal to the first predetermined size plus an amount sufficient to accommodate the size of the fractional burst.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising third logic for transmitting data representative of the size of a burst, and an indicator of whether the burst is an extended burst.

4. The system of claim 1, embodied in a sender of data in the networked system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first predetermined size is 64 bytes, the second predetermined extended size of 80 bytes, and the threshold level is 16 bytes.

6. In a networked system, a method of selectively varying the number of burst transfers needed to transmit a block of data comprising the steps of:

transmitting a block of data as n bursts if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts exceeds a threshold level, wherein n is an integer of two or more; and

transmitting the block of data as less than n bursts if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts is less than or equal to the threshold level.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second transmitting step comprises transmitting the block of data as n−

1 bursts of one or more predetermined sizes if the size of any fractional burst in the n bursts is less than or equal to the threshold level, the n−

1 bursts comprising n−

2 bursts of a first predetermined size, and one burst having a second predetermined extended size equal to the first predetermined size plus an amount sufficient to accommodate the size of the fractional burst.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the size of the one burst and an indicator of whether the burst is an extended burst.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first predetermined size is 64 bytes, the second predetermined extended size is 80 bytes, and the threshold level is 16 bytes.