IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0375576
(2003-02-27)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Mirsky, Ethan
- French, Robert
- Eslick, Ian
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
96 인용 특허 :
29 |
초록
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A method and apparatus for providing local control of processing elements in a network of multiple context processing elements (MCPEs). A MCPE stores configuration memory contexts and maintains data of a current configuration. State information is received from at least one other MCPE. A configurati
A method and apparatus for providing local control of processing elements in a network of multiple context processing elements (MCPEs). A MCPE stores configuration memory contexts and maintains data of a current configuration. State information is received from at least one other MCPE. A configuration control signal is generated in response to the state information and current configuration data. A MCPE is selected in response to the configuration control signal to control the MCPE. Each MCPE in the networked array has an assigned physical and virtual identification. Data comprising control data, configuration data, an address mask, and a destination identification is transmitted to a MCPE. The transmitted address mask is applied to either a physical or a virtual identification, and to a destination identification. The masked physical or virtual identification is compared to the masked destination identification. When the masked physical or virtual identification matches the masked destination identification, a MCPE is manipulated in response to the transmitted data by selecting one of a number of configuration memory contexts to control the functioning of the MCPE.
대표청구항
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1. A method for locally controlling a first multiple context processing element (MCPE) of a plurality of MCPEs, the first MCPE having network ports connecting the plurality of MCPEs to the first MCPE, the first MCPE being configured to store one or more contexts, the method comprising: manipulatin
1. A method for locally controlling a first multiple context processing element (MCPE) of a plurality of MCPEs, the first MCPE having network ports connecting the plurality of MCPEs to the first MCPE, the first MCPE being configured to store one or more contexts, the method comprising: manipulating a context of the first MCPE in response to control information and configuration information, wherein the plurality of contexts include a plurality of major contexts of configuration memory describing the operation of the first MCPE and wherein at least one of the plurality of major contexts of configuration memory includes at least one minor context. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the context further comprises selecting a context to control the function of the first MCPE.3. The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the context further comprises programming the first MCPE with a configuration memory context.4. The method of claim 3, wherein programming the first MCPE is performed simultaneously with the execution of a present function by the first MCPE.5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from at least one MCPE and wherein the control information comprises state information.6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from a memory of at least one MCPE.7. The method of claim 1, wherein the the control information comprises maintained data.8. The method of claim 7, wherein the maintained data comprises a current configuration state of the first MCPE.9. The method of claim 8, further comprising feeding the current configuration state of the first MCPE back to the first MCPE through a feedback path.10. The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating one of the plurality of contexts is performed locally at the first MCPE.11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from at least one MCPE.12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from a MCPE adjacent to the first MCPE.13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from an external memory.14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first MCPE receives at least one bit over a multiple level network from at least one MCPE, the at least one bit representative of at least one configuration context of the at least one MCPE.15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first MCPE providing the control information to at least one MCPE of the plurality of MCPEs, the control information for manipulating the context.16. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises data of a current configuration of the first MCPE.17. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises data of a previous configuration of the first MCPE.18. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises state information of the first MCPE.19. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a signal received commonly by a plurality of MCPEs.20. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more major contexts contain data describing local network switching.21. The method of claim 1, wherein each major context of configuration memory includes a plurality of minor contexts.22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of minor contexts comprise contexts of configurations of network ports of the first MCPE.23. The method of claim 21, wherein one of the minor contexts is independently writable.24. The method of claim 21, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a clear mode.25. The method of claim 21, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a freeze mode.26. The method of claim 21, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a user-defined operation.27. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the major contexts is programmable.28. The method of claim 27, wherein the programmable major context is for user-defined operations.29. The meth od of claim 1, wherein one of the major contexts is hardwired.30. The method of claim 29, wherein the hardwired major context comprises a reset state.31. The method of claim 29, wherein the hardwired major context comprises a local stall mode.32. The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning a virtual identification (VID) to the first MCPE; transmitting data comprising an address mask to the first MCPE; comparing the VID masked with the address mask to a masked destination identification; and selecting one of the plurality of contexts in response to the transmitted data when the masked VID matches the masked destination identification. 33. The method of claim 1, further comprising programming the first MCPE with data of the plurality of contexts during the execution of a present function by the first MCPE.34. The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating one of the plurality of contexts is performed during execution of a second context in the first MCPE.35. In a first multiple context processing element (MCPE) in a network of a plurality of MCPEs, the first MCPE having network ports that connect the plurality of MCPEs to the first MCPE, comprising: a memory configured to store a plurality of contexts, wherein the plurality of contexts include a plurality of major contexts of configuration memory describing the operation of the first MCPE and wherein at least one of the plurality of major contexts of configuration memory includes at least one minor context; and a controller coupled to the memory wherein the controller is configured to manipulate one of the plurality of contexts in response to control information and configuration information. 36. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the controller manipulates one of the contexts by selecting a context to control the function of the first MCPE.37. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the controller manipulates one of the contexts by programming the first MCPE with a configuration memory context.38. The MCPE of claim 37, wherein the controller programs the first MCPE simultaneously with the first MCPE executing a present function.39. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the control information comprises state information from at least one MCPE.40. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the control information comprises information from a memory of at least one MCPE.41. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the control information comprises maintained data.42. The MCPE of claim 41, wherein the maintained data comprises a current configuration state of the first MCPE.43. The MCPE of claim 42, further comprising a feedback path to the first MCPE, wherein the current configuration state is provided to the first MCPE through the feedback path.44. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the controller manipulates one of the plurality of contexts locally at the first MCPE.45. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from at least one MCPE.46. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from a MCPE adjacent to the first MCPE.47. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the first MCPE receives the control information from an external memory.48. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the first MCPE receives at least one bit received over a multiple level network from at least one MCPE, the at least one bit representative of at least one configuration context of the at least one MCPE.49. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the first MCPE provides the control information to at least one MCPE of the plurality of MCPEs, and wherein the controller utilizes the control information to manipulate the context.50. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the configuration information comprises data of a current configuration of the first MCPE.51. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the configuration information comprises data of a previous configuration of the first MCPE.52. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein the configuration information comprises state information of the first MCPE.53. The MCPE of cl aim 35, wherein the configuration information comprises a signal received commonly by at least some of the plurality of MCPEs.54. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein one or more major contexts contain data describing local network switching.55. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein each major context of configuration memory includes a plurality of minor contexts.56. The MCPE of claim 55, wherein the plurality of minor contexts comprise contexts of configurations of network ports of the first MCPE.57. The MCPE of claim 55, wherein one of the minor contexts is independently writable.58. The MCPE of claim 55, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a clear mode.59. The MCPE of claim 55, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a freeze mode.60. The MCPE of claim 55, wherein one of the minor contexts comprises a user-defined operation.61. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein one of the major contexts is programmable.62. The MCPE of claim 61, wherein the programmable major context is for user-defined operations.63. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein one of the major contexts is hardwired.64. The MCPE of claim 63, wherein the hardwired major context comprises a reset state.65. The MCPE of claim 63, wherein the hardwired major context comprises a local stall mode.66. The MCPE of claim 35, wherein a virtual identification (VID) is assigned to the first MCPE; data comprising an address mask is transmitted to the first MCPE the VID masked with the address mask is compared to a masked destination identification; and the controller selects one of the plurality of contexts in response to the transmitted data when the masked VID matches the masked destination identification.
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