The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 12, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 18, 2000
Darren Kerr, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jeffery B. Scott, Durham, NC (US);
John William Marshall, Cary, NC (US);
Kenneth H. Potter, Raleigh, NC (US);
Scott Nellenbach, Apex, NC (US);
Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A sequence control mechanism enables out-of-order processing of contexts by processors of a symmetric multiprocessor system having a plurality of processors arrayed as a processing engine. The processors of the engine are preferably arrayed as a plurality of rows or clusters embedded between input and output buffers, wherein each cluster of processors is configured to process contexts in a first in, first out (FIFO) synchronization order. However, the sequence control mechanism allows out-of-order context processing among the clusters of processors, while selectively enforcing FIFO synchronization ordering among those clusters on an as needed basis, i.e., for certain contexts. As a result, the control mechanism reduces undesired processing delays among those processors.