Patent ID: 6360278
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A network adapter card (NIC) for coupling with a computer system having a processor and a memory unit, said NIC comprising:a queued transmit entry point circuit comprising a transmit entry point register and a plurality of memory cells configured as a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory circuit, said transmit entry point register for receiving new data packet pointers from said processor and for queuing said new data packet pointers into said FIFO memory circuit, said transmit entry point register for maintaining the oldest queued data packet pointer of said queued transmit entry point circuit; a transmit FIFO memory circuit for containing digital data to be transmitted onto a network; and a control circuit for accessing digital data from a memory space of said memory unit of said computer system and for supplying said digital data to said transmit FIFO memory circuit, said memory space being identified by said oldest queued data packet pointer as maintained by said transmit entry point register.