Method to synchronize and upload an offloaded network stack connection with a network stack

• US 7,584,260 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alacritech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alacritech, Inc.
• Inventors: Higgen, David A., Philbrick, Clive M., Boucher, Laurence B., Craft, Peter K.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/976,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 709 28-230, 709/236, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/36 using image sharpness techniques , e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9042 Separate storage for different parts of the packet, e.g. header and payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9063 Intermediate storage in different physical parts of a node or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/166 IP fragmentation; TCP segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A host CPU runs a network protocol processing stack that provides instructions not only to process network messages but also to allocate processing of certain network messages to a specialized network communication device, offloading some of the most time consuming protocol processing from the host CPU to the network communication device. By allocating common and time consuming network processes to the device, while retaining the ability to handle less time intensive and more varied processing on the host stack, the network communication device can be relatively simple and cost effective. The host CPU, operating according to instructions from the stack, and the network communication device together determine whether and to what extent a given message is processed by the host CPU or by the network communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a host computer running a stack of protocol processing layers configured to create a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block, the TCP control block identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports;

a driver running on the host computer, the driver configured to receive the TCP control block from the stack of protocol processing layers; and

a network interface device that is operably coupled to the host computer, the network interface device configured to receive the TCP control block from the driver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver includes a device driver for the network interface device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface device is configured to process a network message corresponding to the TCP control block.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network interface device is configured to transfer the TCP control block to the driver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driver is configured to transfer the TCP control block to the stack of protocol processing layers.

6. A method comprising:

running, on a host computer, a stack of protocol processing layers, including controlling a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block that is identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports;

running, on the host computer, a driver, including receiving, by the driver, the TCP control block from the stack of protocol processing layers; and

receiving, by a network interface device that is coupled to the host computer, the TCP control block from the driver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the driver includes a device driver for the network interface device.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising processing, by the network interface device, a network message corresponding to the TCP control block.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the network message includes updating the TCP control block by the network interface device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising transferring the TCP control block from the network interface device to the driver.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising transferring the TCP control block from the driver to the stack of protocol processing layers.

12. A method comprising:

running, on a host computer, a first process, including creating by the first process a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) control block that is identified by source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and source and destination TCP ports;

running, on the host computer, a second process, including receiving, by the second process, the TCP control block from the first process; and

receiving, by a network interface device that is coupled to the host computer, the TCP control block from the second process.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first process includes a stack of protocol processing layers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second process includes a device driver for the network interface device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising processing, by the network interface device, a network message corresponding to the TCP control block.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein processing the network message includes updating the TCP control block by the network interface device.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising transferring the TCP control block from the network interface device to the second process.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising transferring the TCP control block from the second process to the stack of protocol processing layers.