Method and structure to support system resource access of a serial device implementating a lite-weight protocol
First Claim
1. A serial buffer comprising:
- a serial interface that receives both data packets and priority packets;
a data processor coupled to receive the data packets, but not the priority packets, from the serial interface, wherein the data processor transfers the data packets to one or more queues; and
a priority packet processor coupled to receive the priority packets, but not the data packets, from the serial interface, wherein the priority packet processor accesses on-chip resources of the serial buffer in response to the priority packets.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
On-chip resources of a serial buffer are accessed using priority packets of a Lite-weight protocol. A priority packet path is provided on the serial buffer to support priority packets. Normal data packets are processed on a normal data packet path, which operates in parallel with the priority packet path. The system resources of the serial buffer can be accessed in response to the priority packets, without blocking the flow of normal data packets. Thus, normal data packets may flow through the serial buffer with the maximum bandwidth supported by the serial interface. The Lite-weight protocol also supports read accesses to queues of the serial buffer (which reside on the normal data packet path). The Lite-weight protocol also supports doorbell commands for status/error reporting.
56 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A serial buffer comprising:
-
a serial interface that receives both data packets and priority packets; a data processor coupled to receive the data packets, but not the priority packets, from the serial interface, wherein the data processor transfers the data packets to one or more queues; and a priority packet processor coupled to receive the priority packets, but not the data packets, from the serial interface, wherein the priority packet processor accesses on-chip resources of the serial buffer in response to the priority packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of operating a serial buffer comprising:
-
receiving both data packets and priority packets on a serial interface of the serial buffer; routing the data packets received on the serial interface to a data processor of the serial buffer; using the data processor to transfer the data packets to one or more queues; routing the priority packets received on the serial interface to a priority packet processor; and using the priority packet processor to access on-chip resources of the serial buffer in response to the priority packets. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification