ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110029706A1
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Hansson, Andreas, Bekooij, Marco Jan Gerrit
• Application Number:
  US12/936,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/26 using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 in relation to timing considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/39 Credit based

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device comprises at least one master network interface (MNI) with in a credit count unit (CC) for counting received credits and a first buffer unit (FIFO). The electronic device furthermore comprises at least one slave network interface (SNI) which comprises a threshold unit (TU) and at least one second buffer unit (FIFO). The electronic device furthermore comprises an interconnect (N) for coupling the at least one master network interface (MNI) and the at least one slave network interface (SNI). The slave network interface (SNI) is adapted to send a number of credits via the interconnect (N) to the master network interface (MNI) if the available amount of space or credits in the at least one second FIFO buffer (FIFO) reaches a threshold value stored in the threshold unit (TU). The slave network interface (SNI) is adapted to send the available credits via the interconnect (N) to the master network interface (MNI) if a predetermined time interval has lapsed or if an event from an external event generator is received even if the number of credits is below the threshold value stored in the threshold unit (TU).

Claims

1. Electronic device, comprising:

at least one master network interface having a credit count unit for counting received credits and a first buffer unit,

at least one slave network interface having a threshold unit and at least one second buffer unit, and

an interconnect for coupling the master network interface and the at least one slave network interface,

wherein the slave network interface is adapted to send a number of credits via the interconnect to the master network interface if an available amount of credits in the at least one second buffer unit reaches a threshold value stored in the threshold unit,

wherein the slave network interface is adapted to send the available credits via the interconnect to the master network interface if a predetermined time interval has lapsed or if an event from an external event generator is received, even if the number of credits is below the threshold value stored in the threshold unit.

2. Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one timer unit is provided for each second buffer unit in the slave network interface.

3. Electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the timer unit comprises at least one register for storing the predefined time interval.

4. Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the slave network interface comprises a delta credit count unit for determining a number of packets being outputted from the at least one second buffer unit and for forwarding this information to the threshold unit such that the available amount of credits is stored in the delta credit count unit.

5. Electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one slave network interface comprises a timer unit for counting to the predetermined time interval.

6. Method for controlling an electronic device having at least one master network interface having a credit count unit for counting received credits and a first buffer unit, at least one slave network interface having a threshold unit and at least one second buffer unit, comprising the steps of:

coupling the master network interface and the at least one slave network interface,

sending a number of credits from the slave network interface to the master network interface if an available amount of credits in the at least one second buffer unit reaches a threshold value, and

sending the available credits from the slave network interface to the master network interface if a predetermined time interval has lapsed or if an external event from an external event generator is received even if the number of credits is below the threshold value.