System and method for multi-level context switching in an electronic network

Abstract

A system and method for multi-level context switching in an electronic network comprises a control state machine configured to implement a data priority scheme, a return address generator configured to hold and release return addresses for interrupted instruction modules in accordance with the data priority scheme and context information from the electronic network, and a processor configured to process data from the electronic network in accordance with the data priority scheme and the context information. Receive registers stores data received from the electronic network. The control state machine includes a switch address generator and a program counter select. The switch address generator outputs a switch address, which is an address for a first instruction for a selected-context instruction module. The return address generator holds and releases the return addresses, which are addresses of next consecutive instructions, when an instruction module is interrupted for a context switch. The program counter select outputs a switch address, a return address, or a next consecutive address to select the appropriate instruction in the memory for execution by the processor.