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Method and system for controlling information flow between a producer and a buffer in a high frequency digital system

  • US 6,606,666 B1
  • Filed: 11/09/1999
  • Issued: 08/12/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling packet flow from a producer to a buffer, said method comprising:

  • receiving as inputs at a control unit one or more producer output indications each indicating that said producer has output a respective packet to said buffer via a data path and one or more buffer output indications each indicating that said buffer has output a respective packet;

    at said control unit, determining whether said producer can output a packet via said data path without packet loss, based upon a capacity of said buffer, how many packets have been output by said producer based upon said producer output indications, how many packets have been output by said buffer based upon said buffer output indications, and how many packets said control unit has authorized said producer to output based upon grant messages output to said producer within a feedback latency of said control unit, wherein said feedback latency includes a first latency for a producer output indication to reach said control unit from said producer and a second latency for a grant message to reach said producer from said control unit; and

    in response to a determination that said producer can output a packet without packet loss, said control unit generating and outputting a grant message to said producer via a control path physically separate from said data path, said grant message indicating that said producer is authorized to output a packet.

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