Abstract: The disclosure includes description of a technique for processing a network packet at a device. The technique can include accessing an entry for a packet in one of a plurality of source queues and, based on the accessed entry, determining whether to queue an entry for the packet in at least one of a plurality of destination queues.

Abstract: The disclosure includes description of a technique for use in looking-up data based on content of a packet received over a network. The technique includes receiving a lookup value based on the received packet, searching a first memory using at least a portion of the lookup value, and if the searching the first memory fails, searching a second memory, having a lower latency than the first memory, using at least a portion of the lookup value.

Abstract: A method includes extracting packets from within a received frame, generating digests of the extracted packets, and hashing the generated digests.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method for actively characterizing the latency of an audio channel of a computer, such as a personal computer, is provided. At least two signal streams for a waveform are created in the audio channel. The presence of the first signal sample stream for the waveform and the second signal sample stream for the waveform is detected at a point in the audio channel. The time between the detections of the signal sample streams is measured. Briefly, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of actively characterizing the latency of an audio channel of a computer, such as a personal computer, is provided. At least a first and a second waveform are created in the audio channel. The presence of the first and the second waveform are detected at a point in the audio channel. The time between the detections of the waveforms is measured.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method for use in packet processing. The method can include receiving at least a portion of at least one packet and, based on the at least a portion of the at least one packet, determining a clock signal to provide to processing logic that processes the at least one packet.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method of this embodiment includes generating, by a processor that includes a plurality of processing engines capable of executing program instructions, a packet. The method of this embodiment also includes transmitting the packet to at least one of the processing engines. Additionally, the method of this embodiment also includes, in response, at least in part to receipt of the packet by the at least one of the processing engines, modifying at least in part, by the at least one of the processing engines, a set of program instructions that the at least one processing engine is capable of executing. Of course, many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes storing identification of one or more memory buckets associated with different, respective, queued write commands, and, based on the stored identification, determining whether at least one bucket associated with a read command is included in one or more buckets associated with at least one queued write command.

Abstract: A method of processing network data in a network processor includes using three or more threads to process a beginning portion, a middle portion, and an end portion of data packet. The first thread processes the beginning portion; one or more middle threads process the middle portion, and a last thread processes the end portion. First information is indirectly passed from the first thread to the last thread via a first buffer with the middle threads progressively updating the first information. Second information is directly passed from the first thread to the last thread via a second buffer.

Abstract: A method of forwarding data out of a processor includes receiving data by the processor, then using two schedulers to assign processing threads to transmit data out of the processor. Each of the schedulers supports forwarding data out of ports that are mutually exclusive from those of the other scheduler. The processing threads can operate at least partially simultaneously.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a bridge circuit is provided that includes a plurality of signal ports. At least one of the plurality of signal ports may be capable of being coupled to a long haul interface. At least one of the plurality of signal ports may be capable of being coupled to a host interface. At least one of the plurality of signal ports may be capable of being coupled to a short haul interface. The bridge circuit may provide a bridge between the host interface and one of the short haul interface and the long haul interface. Of course, many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Abstract: A system and method of using of diagnostic procedures through a firmware interface in a processing system are described. A first physical area of a memory may store one or more diagnostic modules comprising machine-readable instructions for performing one or more diagnostic procedures of a processing system. A second physical area of the memory may store an operating system capable of initiating execution of the one or more diagnostic procedures through the firmware interface.

Abstract: A system and method of transmitting data frames between media access control (MAC) devices through a mesh of data switches is disclosed. Each of the data switches maps each MAC device to a port or aggregation of ports on the data switch for transmitting data frames having a destination associated with the MAC device. Upon receipt of a data frame from a previously undiscovered MAC device at a first data switch, the first data switch informs the other data switches of the undiscovered MAC device. This permits each of the other data switches to map the undiscovered MAC device with a port or aggregation of ports mapped to the first data switch. The other data switches may then transmit subsequent data frames having a destination associated with the previously undiscovered MAC device through a port or aggregation of ports mapped to the first data switch.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a general-purpose programmable packet-processing platform for accelerating network infrastructure applications which have been structured so as to separate the stages of classification and action. Network packet classification, execution of actions upon those packets, management of buffer flow, encryption services, and management of Network Interface Controllers are accelerated through the use of a multiplicity of specialized modules. A language interface is defined for specifying both stateless and stateful classification of packets and to associate actions with classification results in order to efficiently utilize these specialized modules.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method of transmitting data among communication nodes. A first communication node is coupled to a plurality of adjacent communication nodes. The first communication node may receive a data transmission comprising a destination associated with a second communication node. The first communication node may receive status data from one or more adjacent communication nodes through a control channel coupled between the first communication node and the adjacent communication node where the status data comprises status information for at least the adjacent node. A communication node adjacent to the first communication node may be selected to forward the received data to a destination based upon the status data received from the adjacent communication nodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a general-purpose programmable packet-processing platform for accelerating network infrastructure applications which have been structured so as to separate the stages of classification and action. Network packet classification, execution of actions upon those packets, management of buffer flow, encryption services, and management of Network Interface Controllers are accelerated through the use of a multiplicity of specialized modules. A language interface is defined for specifying both stateless and stateful classification of packets and to associate actions with classification results in order to efficiently utilize these specialized modules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a general-purpose programmable packet-processing platform for accelerating network infrastructure applications which have been structured so as to separate the stages of classification and action. Network packet classification, execution of actions upon those packets, management of buffer flow, encryption services, and management of Network Interface Controllers are accelerated through the use of a multiplicity of specialized modules. A language interface is defined for specifying both stateless and stateful classification of packets and to associate actions with classification results in order to efficiently utilize these specialized modules.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device used to produce improved thin-film recording heads. It further relates to a focused particle beam system for milling a recording head pole-tip assembly without irradiating a sensitive structure, e.g. a read head, of the recording head. The invention precisely forms a pole-tip assembly by milling a second structural element without irradiating a first structural element. The invention avoids irradiating the first structural element by placing a first marker element, which can be imaged and/or damaged, in the same layer of a multi-layer lithographically fabricated device as the first structural element. The marker element has a fixed spatial relationship to the first structural element.

Abstract: Systems and processes are disclosed that allow a computer to connect to a server of an Internet site for executing an application program that is stored on a disk linked to that server. Specifically, processes are disclosed that provide a data transport interface for connecting to the server, transport from the server a server address signal representative of a network address of the server, and a path name signal representative of a file system that includes an application program. The process further generates a mount request as a function of the path name signal and transports the mount request to the server to direct the server to provide an array of server file pointers that point to a file descriptor representative of the file system that includes the application program.