Patent ID: 6304910
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A communication processor adapted to be coupled to a computer network and to a host computer, the host computer including host memory, CPU, payload data and host driver software, the communication processor comprising:a receive processor and a transmit processor coupled to the computer network for receiving and validating received frames of data, and for constructing and transmitting frames of data, wherein the frames of data include headers, said receive and transmit processor being operably coupled to receive and validate said frames of data without frame-by-frame involvement of the CPU and without a resident microprocessor; andan interface for coupling said receive and transmit processors with said host computer,wherein said host driver software is configured to set predetermined bits in a frame which indicate the last frame in a series of frames, and said receive and transmit processors being configured to use said predetermined bits to build a transmit frame header containing information regarding the last frame in a series of frames.