COMMUNICATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION PROCESSING METHOD, CONTROL METHOD AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE OF COMMUNICATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20110078353A1
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yohei, Ebina, Akihiro, Tsuji, Atsuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]

Abstract

A communication processing apparatus (101) includes: a MAC unit (106) receiving a packet; a classification unit (107) classifying the received packet; a transfer control unit (104) transferring data of the classified packet to a main memory (102); a first memory (112m) storing an interrupt management table (112); an interrupt control unit (111) specifying, with reference to the interrupt management table (112), an interrupt control method associated with the classification of the packet classified by the classification unit (107) and outputting an interrupt signal to a CPU (103) using the specified interrupt control method; and a setting unit (110) registering the classification and the interrupt control method into the interrupt management table (112) according to instructions from an application program activated in the CPU (103) so as to update the interrupt management table (112).

Claims

1. A communication processing apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a packet;

a classification unit configured to decide a classification of the packet;

an interrupt control unit configured to output an interrupt signal by using an interrupt control method associated with the classification; and

a setting unit configured to change the association between the classification and the interrupt control method based on communication path information used by said receiving unit to receive the packet.

2. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is further configured to, when said receiving unit receives a packet classified to a classification that is not indicated in an interrupt management table, add the classification and an interrupt control method for the packet in association with each other into the interrupt management table according to instruction from an application program, so as to update the interrupt management table, and

said interrupt control unit is further configured to (i) specify, with reference to the interrupt management table, the interrupt control method associated with the classification decided by said classification unit, and (ii) output the interrupt signal by using the specified interrupt control method.

3. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is configured to change the association by (i) obtaining the communication path information from an application program, and (ii) registering, into an interrupt management table, the classification and the interrupt control method which correspond to the communication path information.

4. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is further configured to associate a first classification with a first interrupt control method, and associate a second classification with a second interrupt control method, and

said interrupt control unit is configured to:

when the classification of the packet which is decided by said classification unit is the first classification, output the interrupt signal by using the first interrupt control method associated with the first classification; and

when the classification of the packet which is decided by said classification unit is the second classification, output the interrupt signal by using the second interrupt control method associated with the second classification.

5. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is further configured to register, into an interrupt management table, at least one combination of the classification and the interrupt control method associated with the classification, and

said interrupt control unit is further configured to, when the at least one combination registered in the interrupt management table is a predetermined combination, output the interrupt signal by using a predetermined different interrupt control method, the predetermined different interrupt control method being different from the interrupt control method registered in the interrupt management table in association with the classification of the packet which is decided by said classification unit.

6. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said interrupt control unit is configured to, when a delay interrupt method is only one interrupt control method registered in the interrupt management table, output the interrupt signal by using an immediate interrupt method, the delay interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal when a predetermined time period has passed since transfer of data of the packet to a memory, and the immediate interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal immediately after the transfer of the data of the packet to the memory.

7. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is further configured to associate as the interrupt control method with the classification, at least one of an immediate interrupt method, a delay interrupt method, a delay interrupt method with interval restriction, and a timer interrupt method, the immediate interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal immediately after transfer of data of the packet to a memory, the delay interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal when a predetermined time period has passed since the transfer, the delay interrupt method with interval restriction being for outputting the interrupt signal when a predetermined time period has passed since the transfer and since outputting of an immediately-prior interrupt signal, and the timer interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal for each elapse of a predetermined time period.

8. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a transfer control unit configured to notify said interrupt control unit of packet-related information, the packet-related information being related to the packet having the classification decided by said classification unit,

wherein said interrupt control unit is further configured to, when the packet-related information is notified from said transfer control unit, (i) specify a different interrupt control method, and (ii) output the interrupt signal by using the different interrupt control method, the different interrupt control method corresponding to (a) the interrupt control method associated with the classification of the packet, and (b) the packet-related information.

9. The communication processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said setting unit is further configured to associate the classification with the interrupt control method, by registering, into an interrupt management table, the classification as a classification identifier, and the interrupt control method as a traffic type, the classification identifier identifying the classification, and the traffic type uniquely defining the interrupt control method.

10. A communication processing method comprising:

receiving a packet;

deciding a classification of the packet;

outputting an interrupt signal by using an interrupt control method associated with the classification; and

changing the association between the classification and the interrupt control method, based on communication path information used to receive the packet.

11. A control method of controlling a communication processing apparatus,

wherein communication processing apparatus receives a packet, and outputs an interrupt signal by using an interrupt control method associated with a classification of the packet received,

said control method comprising:

establishing a communication path to the communication processing apparatus; and

transmitting, to the communication processing apparatus, communication path information for specifying the communication path, to cause the communication processing apparatus to change the association between the classification and the interrupt control method based on the communication path information.

12. The control method according to claim 11,

wherein the interrupt signal is outputted due to a receipt interrupt cause or a timer interrupt cause, the receipt interrupt cause being the transfer of the data of the packet to a memory, and the timer interrupt cause being elapse of a predetermined time period,

said control method further comprising:

(i) obtaining the interrupt signal, and (ii) determining whether or not the obtained interrupt signal is outputted due to the receipt interrupt cause or the timer interrupt cause;

processing the data by using a first receipt processing method, when the determination is made that the interrupt signal is outputted due to the receipt interrupt cause, the data having being transferred to the memory; and

processing the data by using a second receipt processing method different from the first receipt processing method, when the determination is made that the interrupt signal is outputted due to the timer interrupt cause, the data having being transferred to the memory.

13. The control method according to claim 12,

wherein a timer interrupt method is associated as the interrupt control method with the classification of the packet, the timer interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal for each elapse of a predetermined time period,

said control method further comprising:

when the data transferred to the memory is processed by using the second receipt processing method,

determining whether or not to restrict processing for a group of pieces of data of packets, the pieces of data having being transferred to the memory, and the pieces of data being to be processed by the timer interrupt method;

processing all of the pieces of data of the packets in the group, when said determination is made not to restrict the processing; and

processing only a part of the all of the pieces of data of the packets in the group, when said determination is made to restrict the processing, the part being no more than a predetermined number of packets.

14. The control method according to claim 12,

wherein each of an immediate interrupt method and a delay interrupt method is associated as the interrupt control method with the classification of the packet, the immediate interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal immediately after the transfer of the data of the packet to the memory, and the delay interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal when a predetermined time period has passed since the transfer of the data of the packet to the memory,

said control method further comprising:

when the data transferred to the memory is processed by using the first receipt processing method, determining, based on classifications of packets having pieces of data in a group, whether or not the pieces of data of the packets in the group are to be processed by the immediate interrupt method or by the delay interrupt method, the pieces of data having being transferred to the memory;

processing all of the pieces of data of the packets in the group, when said determination is made that the pieces of data are to be processed by the immediate interrupt method; and

processing only a part of the all of the pieces of data of the group of the packets, when the determination is made that the pieces of data are to be processed by the delay interrupt method, the part being no more than a predetermined number of packets.

15. The control method according to claim 12,

wherein a delay interrupt method is associated as the interrupt control method with the classification of the packet, the delay interrupt method being for outputting the interrupt signal when a predetermined time period has passed since the transfer of the data of the packet to the memory,

said control method further comprising:

when the data transferred to the memory is processed by using the first receipt processing method, determining whether or not only the delay interrupt method is associated as the interrupt control method with the classification of the ate;

processing all of pieces of data of packets, when said determination is made that only the delay interrupt method is associated with the classification of the packet, the pieces of data having being transferred to the memory; and

processing only a part of the all of the pieces of data of the packets, when said determination is made that not only the delay interrupt method but also an other interrupt control method are associated with the classification of the packet, the pieces of data having being transferred to the memory, the pieces of data being to be processed by the delay interrupt method, and the part being no more than a predetermined number of packets.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a computer to control a communication processing apparatus,

wherein the communication processing apparatus receives a packet, and outputs an interrupt signal by using an interrupt control method associated with a classification of the packet received,

said recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for causing the computer to execute:

establishing a communication path to the communication processing apparatus; and

(i) transmitting, to the communication processing apparatus, communication path information for specifying the communication path, to cause the communication processing apparatus to change the association between the classification and the interrupt control method based on the communication path information.

17. A communication device comprising a communication processing apparatus and a processing unit, said communication processing apparatus outputting an interrupt signal to the processing unit,

wherein said communication processing apparatus includes:

a receiving unit configured to receive a packet;

a classification unit configured to decide a classification of the packet;

an interrupt control unit configured to output the interrupt signal to said processing unit by using an interrupt control method associated with the classification; and

a setting unit configured change the association between the classification and the interrupt control method based on communication path information used by said receiving unit to receive the packet, and

said processing unit is configured to

(i) activate an application program, (ii) establish a communication path to said communication processing apparatus by the application program, and (iii) output, to said communication processing apparatus, the communication path information for specifying the communication path.

18. An apparatus comprising the communication device according to claim 17,

wherein said apparatus is one of a television set, a recorder, a recording and reproducing apparatus, a set top box, and an Internet Protocol (IP) communication device.