Patent ID: 7401134
Filing Date: 2008-07-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for processing data packets comprising a plurality of data blocks, the system comprising: a controller; and a plurality of data processing blocks connected in a sequence, each data processing block also connected to the controller for receiving respective configuration parameters from the controller, the configuration parameters being used for controlling the processing of the data blocks within each respective data processing block, wherein each data processing block receives an input data block and provides an output data block utilizing a handshaking protocol using a ready to receive signal to signify that the data processing block is ready to receive a data block and a ready to send signal to signify that the data processing block is ready to send the data block, and a data block is transferred between a pair of data processing blocks when both the ready to receive and ready to send signals are set between the pair of data processing blocks, each data processing block transmits a first data signal along with a first output data block associated with a particular data packet to a subsequent data processing block in the sequence, wherein the first data signal is propagated through the sequence of data processing blocks with the first output data block, and each data processing block changes to new configuration parameters upon receipt of the first data signal from a previous data processing block in the sequence, wherein the configuration parameters are changed only at a data packet boundary.