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:
Jan. 06, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2007
Stephen Waller Melvin, San Francisco, CA (US);
Stephen Waller Melvin, San Francisco, CA (US);
Teplin Application Limited Liability Co., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A mechanism receives memory reads and writes from a packet processing engine, each memory access having an associated packet identifier or sequence number. The mechanism is placed between a processing element and a memory system such that write data is buffered and information based upon reads and writes is recorded. Upon receiving a memory write, conflict detection logic determines if a conflict has occurred and if packet processing for a packet needs to be restarted. When such a conflict occurs, restart logic conditionally delays the restart to the packet processing engine. This can be accomplished using a stall signal or by delaying the return of the first memory read after the restart. Such a conditional delayed restart mechanism can optimize processing based on the likelihood of multiple conflicts or a single conflict.