Cisco Technology, Inc.

Raymond G Bahr

Wei Ye

Paul M Riley

John D Cashman

Bruce P Osler

Leo A Goyette

Grant Grummer

Andrew S Foltan

A method and apparatus provide a data communication device that can process a number of streams of data according to a plurality of services. A host device such as a network access server which may include a router and a number of carrier cards hosts a number of modules. The host and modules are equipped with a messaging application programming interface (API). The API allows the host to discover what services are offered by the modules, and allows the host and modules to form an optimal interface configuration that most effectively handles data connections of different service types, such as voice, data, facsimile, video and so forth. In operation, each module is presented with a stream of data containing multiplexed calls. Each call contains data that is best operated on by one of the particular services. The messaging API allows the host to setup and control the module and sessions of the services offered by the modules depending upon the data types of the connections. Since the modules each offer a variety of services, a stream containing data one or more connections such as voice data, video data, modem data, facsimile data and so forth can be processed by a single module under control of the host.

Method and apparatus providing multi-service connections within a data communications device

A programmable data communications device is provided to process multiple streams of data according to multiple protocols. The device is equipped with a co-processor including multiple, programmable processors allowing data to be operated on by multiple protocols. The programmable processors within the co-processor include extended instruction sets including instructions providing the operations of zero stuffing, CRC computation, partial compare, conditional move, and trie traversal. These instructions allow the processor(s) of the co-processor to more efficiently execute programs implementing data communications protocols. Since each processor is programmable, protocols standards which change may be accommodated. A network device equipped with the co-processor can handle multiple simultaneous streams of data and can implement multiple protocols on each data stream. The protocols can execute within the co-processor either independently of each other, or in conjunction with each other.

Apparatus and method for operating on data in a data communications system

Data processor with trie traversal instruction set extension

Data processor with bit stuffing instruction set extension

Data processor with multiple compare extension instruction

A programmable data communications device is provided to process multiple streams of data according to multiple protocols. The device is equipped with a co-processor including multiple, programmable processors allowing data to be operated on by multiple protocols. The programmable processors within the co-processor include extended instruction sets including instructions providing the operations of zero stuffing, CRC computation, partial compare, conditional move, and trie traversal. These instructions allow the processor(s) of the co-processor to more efficiently execute programs implementing data communications protocols. Since each processor is programmable, protocols standards which chance may be accommodated. A network device equipped with the co-processor can handle multiple simultaneous streams of data and can implement multiple protocols on each data stream. The protocols can execute within the co-processor either independently of each other, or in conjunction with each other.

Data processor with bit unstuffing instruction set extension

Data processor with CRC instruction set extension

Data processor with up pointer walk trie traversal instruction set

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Natick, MA, United States of America

Raymond G Bahr