Abstract: A device allocates buffer space for storing data received from another device. The other device has a credit balance corresponding to the amount of buffer space. A sending device reduces its number of credits by a cost of a packet and sends the packet. To ensure that the buffer does not overflow, the sending device spends a credit for each entry in the buffer that could be consumed by the sent data packet. When received data is added to the buffer without consuming a new entry, a response packet that returns a credit is sent to the sending device before the data is read from the buffer. Thus, the sending device is enabled to continue sending data without waiting for the buffer to be read, enabling the communication between the two devices to make more efficient use of the buffer.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for packet arbitration for buffered packets in a network device are described herein. A packet can be received at an input of the network device. The packet can be placed in a buffer for the input and a characteristic of the packet can be obtained. A record for the packet, that includes the characteristic, is written into a data structure that is independent of the buffer. Arbitration, based on the characteristic of the packet in the record, can then be performed among multiple packets to select a next packet from the buffer for delivery to an output.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for packet arbitration for buffered packets in a network device are described herein. A packet can be received at an input of the network device. The packet can be placed in a buffer for the input and a characteristic of the packet can be obtained. A record for the packet, that includes the characteristic, is written into a data structure that is independent of the buffer. Arbitration, based on the characteristic of the packet in the record, can then be performed among multiple packets to select a next packet from the buffer for delivery to an output.

Abstract: Devices and techniques for packet arbitration for buffered packets in a network device are described herein. A packet can be received at an input of the network device. The packet can be placed in a buffer for the input and a characteristic of the packet can be obtained. A record for the packet, that includes the characteristic, is written into a data structure that is independent of the buffer. Arbitration, based on the characteristic of the packet in the record, can then be performed among multiple packets to select a next packet from the buffer for delivery to an output.

Abstract: A device allocates buffer space for storing data received from another device. The other device has a credit balance corresponding to the amount of buffer space. A sending device reduces its number of credits by a cost of a packet and sends the packet. To ensure that the buffer does not overflow, the sending device spends a credit for each entry in the buffer that could be consumed by the sent data packet. When received data is added to the buffer without consuming a new entry, a response packet that returns a credit is sent to the sending device before the data is read from the buffer. Thus, the sending device is enabled to continue sending data without waiting for the buffer to be read, enabling the communication between the two devices to make more efficient use of the buffer.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and computer readable medium for simultaneous communication over a bus in a master/slave agent network topology. Each communication agent on the network is either a master agent or slave agent with an input and an output. In one embodiment, the input and the output are latches. The method permits the number of tokens on the ring to be equal to up to one less than the total number of agents on the ring.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and computer readable medium for simultaneous communication over a bus in a master/slave agent network topology. Each communication agent on the network is either a master agent or slave agent with an input and an output. In one embodiment, the input and the output are latches. The method permits the number of tokens on the ring to be equal to up to one less than the total number of agents on the ring.