Patent ID: 6799232
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A network node processing Protocol Data Units (PDU) comprising:a. a central memory store for retrievably storing at least one PDU data segment; b. a system byte order specification register specifying a byte order for data stored in the central memory store; c. at least one peripheral interface conveying PDU data, each peripheral interface including: i. a channel byte order specification register specifying a byte order of the PDU data conveyed via a data channel; and ii. a direct memory access controller responsive to the system byte order specification register and the channel byte order specification register in conveying PDU data; and d. an orphan counter for tracking data bytes conveyed between the central memory store and the at least one peripheral interface, said orphan counter being implemented via a register having a largest expressible value chosen to roll-over on a selected data alignment boundary of a data stream conveyed via the peripheral interface, the direct memory access controller performing byte order conversion on the PDU data during the conveyance thereof to reduce processing overheads at the network node.