Method and apparatus to insert and extract data from a plurality of slots of data frames by using access table to identify network nodes and their slots for insertion and extraction data

• US 6,266,702 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Reddy, Praveen S., Jennings, William T., Lengel, Bradley D., Darnell, B. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/162,375
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 709/236, 709/251, 709/230, 709/232, 370/280, 370/307, 370/431, 370/508, 370/906, 370/907, 370/909
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/43 with synchronous transmission, e.g. time division multiplex [TDM], slotted rings

Abstract

An extraction and insertion controller for inserting into and extracting data values from a frame transmitted to a plurality of nodes is provided. The frame has a plurality of slots for storing data. The insertion and extraction controller includes an access table identifying slots for extraction of information by at least one of the plurality of nodes and also identifying slots for insertion of information by at least one of the plurality of nodes. The insertion and extraction controller also includes an extraction and insertion map controller operable to control modifications to the access table and an extraction controller operable to provide data stored in one of the plurality of slots to a respective node indicated by the access table. The insertion and extraction controller also includes an insertion control unit operable to provide data to one of the plurality of slots from a respective node indicated by the access table.

Claims

1. An extraction and insertion apparatus for inserting data into and extracting data from a data frame transmitted to a plurality of nodes, the data frame having a plurality of slots for storing data, the insertion and extraction apparatus comprising:

a memory having an access map identifying slots for extraction of information data at an identified node and also identifying slots for insertion of data at an identified node;

an extraction and insertion control unit for modifying in the access map the identified slots and identified nodes for extraction of data, the identified slots and identified nodes for insertion of data;

an extraction controller for providing data stored in one of the plurality of slots to a node identified by the access map; and

an insertion controller for providing data to one of the plurality of slots from a node identified by the access map.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access map comprises an extraction table comprising a plurality of access locations corresponding one-to-one to each of the plurality of slots, the access locations storing an indication of whether information may be extracted from an identified slot by a node.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access map comprises a write table specifying slots for insertion of information at a node.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising at least one buffer for storing information to be inserted into at least one of the plurality of slots.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access map further comprises an access map identifying slots for extraction of information by a processor associated with a respective one of the plurality of nodes and further comprising a write table for identifying slots for insertion of information by the processor, the apparatus further comprising:

a processor extraction controller for providing data extracted from one of the plurality of slots to the processor; and

an insertion controller for providing data for insertion to the processor for one of the plurality of slots identified by the access map.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising an access map arbiter for controlling modification of the access map.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the extraction and insertion control unit identifies the type of the transmitted frame and modifies the access map in response to the identification of the frame type.

8. A network for communicating information stored in a plurality of data frames, the data frames having a plurality of slots, the network comprising:

a plurality of network nodes each node having an interface unit, the interface unit comprising an insertion and extraction controller for inserting data values into and extracting data from one or more of the plurality of frames, the insertion and extraction controller comprising;

a memory having an access map identifying slots for extraction of data at an identified node and also identifying slots for insertion of data at an identified node;

an extraction and insertion control unit for modifying in the access map the identified slots and identified nodes for extraction of data, the identified slots and identified nodes for insertion of data;

an extraction controller for providing data stored in one of the plurality of slots to a node identified by the access map; and

an insertion controller for providing data to one of the plurality of slots from a node identified by the access map.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein the access map comprises an extraction table comprising a plurality of access locations corresponding one-to-one to each of the plurality of slots, the access locations storing an indication of whether data may be extracted from an identified slot by a node.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein the access map comprises a write table specifying slots for insertion of information at a node.

11. The network of claim 8, the insertion and extraction controller further comprises at each node at least one buffer for storing data to be inserted into at least one of the plurality of slots.

12. The network of claim 8, wherein the access map further comprises an access table identifying slots for extraction of information by a processor as a part of a respective one of the plurality of nodes, and further comprises a write table for identifying slots for insertion of information by the processor, the insertion and extraction controller further comprising:

a processor extraction controller providing data extracted from one of the plurality of slots to the processor; and

an insertion controller providing data for insertion into one of the plurality of slots identified by the access map.

13. The network of claim 8, wherein the insertion and extraction controller further comprising an access map arbiter for controlling modification of the access map.

14. The network of claim 8 wherein the extraction and insertion control unit identifies the type of the transmitted frame and modifies the access map in response to the identification of the frame type.

15. A method for extracting data from and inserting data into a data frame transmitted between a plurality of nodes, the data frame having a plurality of slots, the method comprising:

generating an access table at each node slots for extraction of data at the node and also identify slots for insertion of data at the identified node;

receiving a data frame at a node transmitted between the plurality of nodes;

determining the type of frame received at the node;

extracting data from slots of the received frame as identified in the generated access table; and

inserting data into a slot of the received frame identified in the access table.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising revising the generated access table to update slots for extraction of data and slots for insertion of data for various frame types.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein generating an access table comprises identifying slots for extraction of data and slots for insertion of data for each of a plurality of frame types.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein extracting data from slots of a received frame comprises extracting data for a terminal associated with a node.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein extracting data from slots of a received frame comprises extracting data for a microprocessor associated with the frame.