Wireless memory management
View Patent ↗Memory management for WiFi Media Access Control (MAC) frames includes dividing a memory into equally-sized smaller chunks; writing a MAC frame that is larger in size than one-chunk size into several chunks; appending special information to each chunk to specify whether the chunk is a starting chunk or an intermediate chunk of the MAC frame or whether the chuck is currently unoccupied at all; linking the chunks carrying the MAC frame; and specifying a task waiting to be performed for the MAC frame. The several chunks may be noncontiguous or contiguous. The memory management technique may further comprise searching the memory for chunks comprising frames waiting for a certain task. The memory management technique may further comprise marking the chunks as empty after the certain task is completed.
1. A method of performing memory management for Media Access Control (MAC) frames, said method comprising:
dividing a memory into equally-sized chunks;
determining whether a sufficient number of the chunks are available to store a MAC frame;
reserving a required number of chunks for the MAC frame by decreasing a number of available chunks by the required number of chunks;
searching for a first empty chunk;
storing a first address of the first empty chunk in a mini-chunk pool;
setting a first occupied bit of the first address;
searching for a second empty chunk;
writing a first portion of the MAC frame into the first empty chunk while searching for the second empty chunk;
placing a second address of the second empty chunk in the mini-chunk pool;
writing a second portion of the MAC frame into the second empty chunk; and
linking the first and second chunks carrying the MAC frame.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second empty chunks are noncontiguous in the memory.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second empty chunks are contiguous in the memory.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising searching the memory for occupied chunks comprising frames waiting for a task.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising marking the occupied chunks as empty after the task is completed.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a logical gate for the memory.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising closing the logical gate for both transmission and reception data directions.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising closing the logical gate for either a transmission data direction or a reception data direction.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MAC frame comprises a WiFi MAC frame.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a writing time for writing the first portion into the first empty chunk is no more than a search time for searching the second empty chunk.
11. A memory management system for Media Access Control (MAC) frames, the system comprising:
memory;
one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured for:
dividing the memory into equally-sized chunks;
determining whether a sufficient number of the chunks are available to store a MAC frame;
reserving a required number of chunks for the MAC frame by decreasing a number of available chunks by the required number of chunks;
searching for a first empty chunk;
storing a first address of the first empty chunk in a mini-chunk pool;
setting a first occupied bit of the first address;
searching for a second empty chunk;
writing a first portion of the MAC frame into the first empty chunk while searching for the second empty chunk;
placing a second address of the second empty chunk in the mini-chunk pool;
writing a second portion of the MAC frame into the second empty chunk; and
linking the first and second chunks carrying the MAC frame.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the several chunks are noncontiguous.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the several chunks are contiguous.
14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a memory manager that searches the memory for chunks comprising frames waiting for a task.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising the memory manager marking the chunks as empty after the task is completed.
16. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a logical gate for the memory.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the logical gate is closed for both transmission and reception data directions.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the logical gate is closed for either a transmission data direction or a reception data direction.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the MAC frame comprises a WiFi MAC frame.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein a writing time for writing the first portion into the first empty chunk is no more than a search time for searching the second empty chunk.