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Network adapter for interrupting host computer system in the event the host device driver is in both transmit and receive sleep states

  • US 5,440,690 A
  • Filed: 04/08/1994
  • Issued: 08/08/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A network adapter to interface between a network and a host computer system, said host computer system having a host memory, one or more transmit buffers within said host memory, and one or more receive buffers within said host memory, said host computer system further having a device driver that enters a transmit sleep state when all said transmit buffers are full for transmitting packets, and that enters a receive sleep state when all said receive buffers are empty for receiving packets, said host memory further having a transmit ring and a receive ring, said transmit ring being a circular data structure having entries and each said entry having an ownership bit and an address pointing to a one of said one or more transmit buffers said receive ring being a circular data structure having entries and each said entry having an ownership bit and an address pointing to a one of said one or more receive buffers, comprising:

  • means for detecting if said device driver is in said transmit sleep state;

    means for detecting if said device driver is in said receive sleep state;

    a transmit consumer means, having,a first register to receive one of said entries on said transmit ring, anda means for reading a transmit ring entry from said host memory into said first register and determining whether said transmit ring entry is owned by said network adapter;

    a receive consumer means, having,a second register to receive a receive ring entry having an ownership bit, anda means for reading a receive ring entry from said host memory into said second register and determining whether said receive ring entry is owned by said network adapter; and

    means for interrupting said host computer system in the event that said device driver is in both said transmit sleep state and said receive sleep state and a one of said one or more receive buffers is available for said device driver, said one or more receive buffers available for said device driver containing data received from said network by said network adapter.

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