Versatile time division multiple access slot assignment unit
First Claim
1. A time division multiple access (TDMA) slot allocation unit in a system having a host processor, comprising:
- a slot counter to provide an address representative of a time slot;
a slot descriptor table including a first port and a second port, said slot descriptor table to contain one or more slot descriptors each of which describes an action that may be performed within said time slot, said slot descriptor table to receive said address on an address bus of said first port and to provide said slot descriptor corresponding to said address on a data bus of said first port;
a device to receive messages for processing, said device to forward messages to the host processor, and to access the slot descriptor table via the second port for reading and/or writing slot descriptors responsive to receiving a time-critical message; and
a slot descriptor decoder coupled to the data bus of the first port of the slot descriptor table, said slot descriptor decoder to decode said slot descriptor and to provide one or more signals.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a versatile time division multiple access (“TDMA”) slot allocation unit. In one embodiment, the versatile TDMA slot allocation unit includes a slot counter configured to provide an address representative of a time slot and a slot descriptor table that contains one or more slot descriptors each of which describes an action that may be performed within the time slot. The slot descriptor table is configured to receive the address and provide the slot descriptor pointed to by the address. In addition, the TDMA slot allocation unit includes a slot descriptor decoder configured to decode the slot descriptor and provide one or more signals.
78 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A time division multiple access (TDMA) slot allocation unit in a system having a host processor, comprising:
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a slot counter to provide an address representative of a time slot;
a slot descriptor table including a first port and a second port, said slot descriptor table to contain one or more slot descriptors each of which describes an action that may be performed within said time slot, said slot descriptor table to receive said address on an address bus of said first port and to provide said slot descriptor corresponding to said address on a data bus of said first port;
a device to receive messages for processing, said device to forward messages to the host processor, and to access the slot descriptor table via the second port for reading and/or writing slot descriptors responsive to receiving a time-critical message; and
a slot descriptor decoder coupled to the data bus of the first port of the slot descriptor table, said slot descriptor decoder to decode said slot descriptor and to provide one or more signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing one or more control signals in a time division multiple access (TDMA) slot allocation unit, the method comprising:
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modifying a slot descriptor table in response to receiving one or more specified messages;
forwarding other messages to a host processor for processing and separately accessing the slot descriptor table;
providing an address representative of a time slot from a slot counter to the slot descriptor table for retrieving a slot descriptor, said slot counter is adapted to be synchronized to a master clock;
providing said slot descriptor corresponding to said address from said slot descriptor table to a slot descriptor decoder; and
decoding said slot descriptor to generate one or more signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A time division multiple access (TDMA) unit, comprising:
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a slot counter to provide an address representative of a time slot and to be synchronized to a master clock;
a multiport memory including a first port having an address bus and a data bus and a second port, said multiport memory to contain a slot descriptor table having one or more slot descriptors each of which describes an action that may be performed within said time slot, said address bus of said first port being coupled to said slot counter to receive said address and to provide a slot descriptor on the data bus;
a message extractor to receive messages, said message extractor for forwarding messages to a host processor, said message extractor to access the slot descriptor table via the second port for reading and/or writing slot descriptors in response to receiving a specified message; and
a slot descriptor decoder coupled to said data bus of said first port of said multiport memory, said slot descriptor decoder to decode said slot descriptor and to perform an action in response to said slot descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A cable modem unit to communicate with a headend, coprising:
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a data detector to receive an information stream from the headend;
a message extractor to receive the information stream from the data detector and to determine whether the information stream is time critical;
a slot counter to receive time synchronization information streams from the message extractor and to provide an address representative of a time a slot;
a slot descriptor table to contain one or more slot descriptors each of which describes an action to be performed within said time slot, said slot descriptor table to receive said address and provide said slot descriptor corresponding to said address; and
a slot descriptor decoder to receive and decode said slot descriptor and provide one or more signals in response to said slot descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification