Abstract: In a Local Area Network (LAN) system, an Ethernet adapter exchanges data with a host through programmed I/O (PIO) and FIFO buffers. The receive PIO employs a DMA ring buffer backup so incoming packets can be copied directly into host memory when the PIO FIFO buffer is full. The adapter may be programmed to generate early receive interrupts when only a portion of a packet has been received from the network, so as to decrease latency. The adapter may also be programmed to generate a second early interrupt so that the copying of a large packet to the host may overlap reception of the packet end. The adapter to begin packet transmission before the packet is completely transferred from the host to the adapter, which further reduces latency.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 4, 2010
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2012
Assignee:
U.S. Ethernet Innovations, LLC
Inventors:
Richard Hausman, Paul William Sherer, James P. Rivers, Cynthia Zikmund, Glenn W. Connery, Niles E. Strohl, Richard S. Reid
Abstract: In a Local Area Network (LAN) system, an ethernet adapter exchanges data with a host through programmed I/O (PIO) and FIFO buffers. The receive PIO employs a DMA ring buffer backup so incoming packets can be copied directly into host memory when the PIO FIFO buffer is full. The adapter may be programmed to generate early receive interrupts when only a portion of a packet has been received from the network, so as to decrease latency. The adapter may also be programmed to generate a second early interrupt so that the copying of a large packet to the host may overlap reception of the packet end. The adapter to begin packet transmission before the packet is completely transferred from the host to the adapter, which further reduces latency.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 21, 2000
Date of Patent:
March 1, 2011
Assignee:
U.S. Ethernet Innovations, LLC
Inventors:
Richard Hausman, Paul William Sherer, James P. Rivers, Cynthia Zikmund, Glenn W. Connery, Niles E. Strohl, Richard S. Reid
Abstract: In a Local Area Network (LAN) system, an Ethernet adapter exchanges data with a host through programmed I/O (PIO) and FIFO buffers. The receive PIO employs a DMA ring buffer backup so incoming packets can be copied directly into host memory when the PIO FIFO buffer is full. The adapter may be programmed to generate early receive interrupts when only a portion of a packet has been received from the network, so as to decrease latency. The adapter may also be programmed to generate a second early interrupt so that the copying of a large packet to the host may overlap reception of the packet end. The adapter to begin packet transmission before the packet is completely transferred from the host to the adapter, which further reduces latency.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 4, 2010
Publication date:
February 24, 2011
Applicant:
U.S. ETHERNET INNOVATIONS
Inventors:
Richard Hausman, Paul William Sherer, James P. Rivers, Cynthia Zikmund, Glenn W. Connery, Niles E. Strohl, Richard S. Reid