Frame processing
A technique is disclosed for generating a plurality of output frames based on a single input frame. An input interface is configured to receive at least a portion of the input frame. An output controller is configured to receive, for each of the plurality of output frames, a new header, and combine each new header with at least a portion of the input frame. An output frame may be generated for which no corresponding input frame exists. An input interface is configured to receive an indication that the output frame should be generated. An output controller is configured to receive a generated header and combine the generated header with a dummy payload to form the output frame.
1. A system for generating a plurality of output frames based on a single input frame, comprising:
an input interface configured to receive at least a portion of individual input frame(s); and
an output controller configured to:
if at least a portion of an input frame is received by the input interface and made available for generating output frames, then receive, for each of the plurality of output frames generated from the input frame, a new header and a control information comprising data indicating a specific location within an input buffer in which specific location at least a portion of the input frame received via the input interface is stored, combine each new header with said at least a portion of the input frame to form output frames;
if no input frame is received by the input interface and made available for generating output frames, then in response to a message, command, or indication received via the input controller, receive one or more new headers and combine each of the one or more new headers with a dummy payload to form one or more output frames;
wherein the respective new headers are received from a processor included in a multi-processor array comprising a plurality of processors each of at least a subset of which is configured to:
when receiving a multicast frame, output multiple headers that are required for multicasting the multicast frame and prohibit other processors in the multi-processor array from outputting headers for other frames they are processing until the processor finished generating all of multiple headers required for multicasting the multicast frame; and
wait to begin processing a next frame header until an indication is received that one or more other processors in the multi-processor array have generated all of one or more copies of headers required for one or more frames that the other processors are currently processing.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the new headers is different from at least one other of the new headers.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the new headers is unique.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein two or more of the new headers are the same.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the input frame includes a payload.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the input frame includes a header and a payload.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the new header includes at least a portion of a payload.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the new header includes a header and a payload.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein combining includes appending a new header to the at least a portion of the input frame.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor configured to process a header associated with the input frame.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control information comprises a length value associated with a new header.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control information comprises the location of the at least a portion of the input frame by start byte and end byte in a buffer.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output controller is configured to receive a control word comprising the control information.
14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an input controller configured to store the at least a portion of the input frame in the input buffer.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer configured to receive each new header.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output controller is configured to receive the at least a portion of the input frame from where it is stored.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output controller is configured to receive the at least a portion of the input frame based on the control information.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input frame is one of a plurality of input frames and the multi-processor array is configured to process, for each input frame, data associated with the input frame to generate one or more new headers associated with the input frame.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a processor configured to process the headers in parallel.
20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a processor configured to process the headers in stages.
21. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a processor configured to shift data from a first processor to a second processor.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the data is shifted using a synchronization scheme.
23. A method of generating a plurality of output frames based on a single input frame, comprising:
if the portion of input frame is received by an input interface and made available for generating output frames, receiving at an output controller, for each of the plurality of output frames generated from the input frame, a new header and a control information comprising data indicating a specific location within an input buffer in which specific location at least a portion of the input frame is stored, and using the output controller to combine each new header with said at least a portion of the input frame to form output frames; and
if no input frame is received by the input interface and made available for generating output frames, then in response to a message, command, or indication received via the input interface, receiving one or more new headers and using the output controller to combine each of the one or more new headers with a dummy payload to form one or more output frames;
wherein the respective new headers are received from a processor included in a multi-processor array comprising a plurality of processors each of at least a subset of which is configured to:
when receiving a multicast frame, output multiple headers that are required for multicasting the multicast frame and prohibit other processors in the multi-processor array from outputting headers for other frames they are processing until the processor finished generating all the multiple headers required for multicasting the multicast frame; and
wait to begin processing a next frame header until an indication is received that one or more other processors in the multi-processor array have generated all of one or more copies of headers required for one or more frames that the other processors are currently processing.