Context selection and activation mechanism for activating one of a group of inactive contexts in a processor core for servicing interrupts
First Claim
1. A logic system in a data packet processor for selecting and releasing a context among a plurality of such contexts, the selected and released context dedicated for enabling processing of interrupt service routines corresponding to interrupts generated in data packet processing and pending for service, the system comprising:
- logic configured to;
determine control status of all of the contexts;
determine if a context is idle or not;
select a context; and
release the selected context;
wherein in response to determining that none of the plurality of contexts are owned by an entity responsible for packet processing (SPU) and that at least one of the contexts is idle, the logic is configured to trigger immediate selection and release of one of the at least one idle contexts to the entity responsible for packet processing upon determination that none of the contexts are owned by the entity responsible for packet processing and that there are no idle contexts, aborts pre-loading of a given context of the contexts to render the given context idle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A logic system in a data packet processor is provided for selecting and releasing one of a plurality of contexts. The selected and released context is dedicated for enabling the processing of interrupt service routines corresponding to interrupts generated in data packet processing and pending for service. The system comprises, a first determination logic for determining control status of all of the contexts, a second determination logic for determining if a context is idle or not, a selection logic for selecting a context and a context release mechanism for releasing the selected context. Determination by the logic system that all contexts are singularly owned by an entity not responsible for packet processing and that at least one of the contexts is idle, triggers immediate selection and release of an idle one of the at least one idle contexts to an entity responsible for packet processing.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A logic system in a data packet processor for selecting and releasing a context among a plurality of such contexts, the selected and released context dedicated for enabling processing of interrupt service routines corresponding to interrupts generated in data packet processing and pending for service, the system comprising:
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logic configured to; determine control status of all of the contexts; determine if a context is idle or not; select a context; and release the selected context; wherein in response to determining that none of the plurality of contexts are owned by an entity responsible for packet processing (SPU) and that at least one of the contexts is idle, the logic is configured to trigger immediate selection and release of one of the at least one idle contexts to the entity responsible for packet processing upon determination that none of the contexts are owned by the entity responsible for packet processing and that there are no idle contexts, aborts pre-loading of a given context of the contexts to render the given context idle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for selecting and releasing a context among a plurality of contexts to a processing entity for processing interrupt service routines associated with interrupts generated during data packet processing, the method comprising:
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(a) determining that none of the plurality of contexts are under control of the processing entity; (b) determining that there is at least one idle context within the plurality of contexts; (c) selecting a first context of the at least one idle contexts for release; and (d) releasing the first context to the processing entity, so the processing entity may process service routines and a memory marker is sent along with a release notification, the marker pointing to a location in memory where a pre-defined instruction thread exists to be used by the processing entity for invoking a stream to run in the released context. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for processing service routines associated in a data packet processing system using a dedicated context selected among a plurality of contexts not under control of a data packet processor, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving, at the processor, notification of a selected context about to be released and a memory marker pointing to an instruction thread in memory; (b) fetching the instruction thread designated by the received marker; (c) executing the instruction thread in the released context; (d) detecting at least one pending interrupt that requires processing; and (e) running the corresponding service routine or routines that satisfies the at least one interrupt. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification