Control function for memory based buffers

Abstract

Instantiating a plurality of buffers in a random access memory by storing in the random access memory (RAM) a plurality of descriptors each containing a base address, at least one address pointer and a size to define a corresponding one of the plurality of buffers. Transferring data in any one of the plurality of buffers by using a control function within an accessing module to generate a buffer address by accessing and updating the address pointer in the corresponding descriptor. In a processor that accesses the circular buffers, the control function is one or more complex instructions tailored for computing read and write addresses to access the circular buffer using fields within the corresponding descriptor. In a DMA module that accesses the circular buffers, the control function is a hardware controller that computes read and write addresses using the fields within the corresponding descriptor to access the circular buffer.