Patent ID: 7249214

Claim:
An apparatus for coupling a processor to a network resource, the apparatus comprising: a first slice comprising: a first buffer adapted to store a first portion of a first message associated with a first priority and a first portion of a second message associated with a second priority, wherein the first portion of the first message includes a first routing portion specifying a network resource and the first portion of the second message includes a second routing portion specifying the network resource, a first arbiter coupled to the first buffer, wherein the first arbiter is adapted to independently select either the first portion of the first message or the first portion of the second message based on the first and second priorities, thereby providing a selected message including a selected routing portion, and a first multiplexer coupled to the first buffer and the first arbiter, the first multiplexer adapted to send the first portion of the selected message from the first slice to the network resource specified by the selected routing portion; and a second slice comprising: a second buffer adapted to store a second portion of the first message and a second portion of the second message, wherein the second portion of the first message includes the first routing portion and the second portion of the second message includes the second routing portion, a second arbiter coupled to the second buffer, wherein the second arbiter is adapted to independently select the second portion of the selected message, and a second multiplexer coupled to the second buffer and the second arbiter, the second multiplexer adapted to send the second portion of the selected message from the second slice to the network resource specified by the selected routing portion.