Device and Method for Storing and Processing Data Units

• US 20080114926A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethernity Networks
• Original Assignee: Ethernity Networks
• Inventors: Levi, David, Gross, Yoram
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1642 with request queuing
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1075 for multiport memories each having random access ports and serial ports, e.g. video RAM

Abstract

A device and method for storing and processing data units. The method includes: storing, at a read request dual port random access (DPR) memory unit, at least one request to read data from a double data rate (DDR) memory unit; storing, at a write request dual port random access (DPR) memory unit, at least one request to write data to a double data rate (DDR) memory unit; selecting a stored request to be sent to the DDR memory unit; wherein if the selected stored request is a write request, storing an ingress data unit at the DDR memory unit; and retrieving a fetched data unit from the DDR memory unit and processing the fetched data unit to provide an egress data unit; wherein the fetched data unit comprises at least a portion of the ingress data unit.

Claims

1. A device for storing and processing data units, the device comprises:

a data processor; and

a DDR controller, adapted to be coupled to a double data rate (DDR) memory unit DDR memory unit;

wherein the DDR controller comprises;

a read request dual port random access (DPR) memory unit, adapted to store requests to read data from the DDR memory unit;

a write request DRP memory unit adapted to store requests to read data from the DDR memory unit; and

and a selection unit adapted to select a stored request to be sent to the DDR memory unit;

wherein the device is adapted to store an ingress data unit at the DDR memory unit before the data processor processes a fetched data unit from the DDR memory unit to provide an egress data unit; and

wherein the fetched data unit comprises at least a portion of the ingress data unit.

2. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a read request generation unit and a first database;

wherein the first database stores at least one fetch rule and at least one process rules;

wherein the read request unit is adapted to retrieve a fetch rule indicative of a size of fetched data unit from the first database and provide to the data processor the fetched data unit in response to the retrieved fetch rule.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the DDR controller comprises:

a first read data structure indicative of pending valid read requests stored in the read request DPR; and

a second read data structure indicative of valid read requests that were executed.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the DDR controller comprises:

a first write data structure indicative of pending valid write requests stored in the write request DPR; and

a second write data structure indicative of valid write requests that were executed.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the selection unit is adapted to select a stored request out of multiple stored requests in response to initial priorities of the multiple stored requests and in response to pending periods of the multiple stored requests.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein the selection unit is adapted to select a stored request in response to initial priorities of the multiple stored requests and in response to a type of at least one previously selected stored request.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein DDR memory unit comprises multiple memory banks and wherein the selection unit is adapted to select a memory bank in which at least a portion of the ingress data unit is to be written in response to at least one memory bank that was accessed during previous access cycles.

8. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a first DDR control data structure indicative of a fullness of entries of the DDR memory unit;

wherein the device is adapted to complete a storage of an ingress data unit and ingress data unit metadata within at least one DDR memory unit entry and after a completion of the storage to update the first DDR control data structure to indicate that the at least one DDR memory unit entry is full.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein the DDR controller is adapted to receive a request to write to the DDR memory unit (K+L) bits of data;

wherein K bits of data are written during a single write cycle of the DDR memory unit;

wherein L is a positive integer that is smaller than K;

wherein the DDR controller is adapted to initiate a first write cycle and a second write cycle;

wherein the second write cycle is started after L bits were written and before the first write cycle is completed.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein the DDR controller is adapted to receive a request to write to an address that is offset from a beginning of a DDR memory unit entry an ingress data unit;

wherein the DDR controller is adapted to initiate a first write cycle and a second write cycle;

wherein the second write cycle is initiated after the DDR memory unit entry is filled and before the first write cycle is completed.

21. The device according to claim 1 wherein the data processor is adapted to perform protocol inter-working.

23. The device according to claim 1 wherein the DDR memory unit stores multiple buffers and multiple pairs of buffers, wherein a first pointer of a pair of pointers points to a buffer while a second pointer of the pair of buffers points to a buffer descriptor associated with the buffer.

25. The device according to claim 1 further adapted to send available pointer information while bypassing the DDR memory unit.

11. A method for storing and processing data units, the method comprises:

storing, at a read request dual port random access (DPR) memory unit, at least one request to read data from a double data rate (DDR) memory unit;

storing, at a write request dual port random access (DPR) memory unit, at least one request to write data to a double data rate (DDR) memory unit;

selecting a stored request to be sent to the DDR memory unit;

wherein if the selected stored request is a write request, storing an ingress data unit at the DDR memory unit;

retrieving a fetched data unit from the DDR memory unit and processing the fetched data unit to provide an egress data unit;

wherein the fetched data unit comprises at least a portion of the ingress data unit.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising retrieving a fetch rule indicative of a size of fetched data unit from a first database and fetching the fetch data unit from the DDR memory unit in response to the retrieved fetch rule.

13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising maintaining a first read data structure indicative of pending valid read requests stored in the read request DPR;

and maintaining a second read data structure indicative of valid read requests that were executed.

14. The method according to claim 11 further comprises maintaining a first write data structure indicative of pending valid write requests stored in the write request DPR;

and maintaining a second write data structure indicative of valid write requests that were executed.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selecting comprises selecting a stored request out of multiple stored requests in response to initial priorities of the multiple stored requests and in response to pending periods of the multiple stored requests.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selecting comprises selecting a stored request in response to initial priorities of the multiple stored requests and in response to a type of at least one previously selected stored request.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the selecting comprises selecting a memory bank out of multiple memory banks of the DDR memory unit in which at least a portion of the ingress data unit is to be written in response to at least one memory bank that was accessed during previous access cycles.

18. The method according to claim 11 further comprising completing a storage of an ingress data unit and ingress data unit metadata within at least one DDR memory unit entry;

and updating, after a completion of the storage, a first DDR control data structure indicative of a fullness of entries of the DDR memory unit to indicate that the at least one DDR memory unit entry is full.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a request to write to the DDR memory unit (K+L) bits of data;

wherein K bits of data are written during a single write cycle of the DDR memory unit;

wherein L is a positive integer that is smaller than K; and

initiating a first write cycle and a second write cycle;

wherein the second write cycle is initiated after L bits were written and before the first write cycle is completed.

20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the method comprises:

receiving a request to write an ingress data unit to an address that is offset from a beginning of a DDR memory unit entry; and

initiating a first write cycle and a second write cycle;

wherein the second write cycle is initiated after the DDR memory unit entry is filled and before the first write cycle is completed.

22. The method according to claim 11 wherein the processing comprises protocol inter-working.

24. The method according to claim 11 wherein the retrieving comprises reading a pair of pointers associated with a buffer stored at the DDR memory bank, wherein a first pointer of a pair of pointers points to a buffer while a second pointer of the pair of buffers points to a buffer descriptor associated with the buffer.

26. The method according to claim 11 further comprising sending available pointer information while bypassing the DDR memory unit