Look-aside processor unit with internal and external access for multicore processors

1. A method for information lookup request processing at a look-aside processor unit, comprising:

storing a received lookup transaction request in a first look-aside buffer of a first storage;

rebuilding the lookup transaction request into a request packet;

transmitting the request packet;

receiving a packet;

comparing ternary values of specific bits in the received packet with ternary values of bits in a pre-determined mask;

determining the received packet to be a response packet when the bits in the received packet disagree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

determining the received packet to be an exception packet when the specific bits in the received packet agree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

processing the received packet in accordance with the determining.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rebuilding the lookup transaction request into the request packet, comprises:

inserting a transaction identifier comprising an identifier of the first buffer into the request packet.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing the received packet in accordance with the determining, comprises:

comparing a transaction identifier in the response packet to a state of the request packet with a corresponding transaction identifier;

storing the response packet in a look-aside buffer of the first storage when the state comprises a first state; and

storing the response packet in a buffer of a second storage otherwise.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:

writing the stored response packet to an address in a memory provided by one of a plurality of requesting entities.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:

polling the state of the request packet by one of a plurality of requesting entities; and

requesting the response packet by the one of a plurality of requesting entities, when the state of the request packet comprises a second state.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:

requesting the response packet by one of a plurality of requesting entities at a pre-determined time after the lookup transaction request was transmitted by the one of a plurality of requesting entities or by a different one of the plurality of requesting entities.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the exception packet into a buffer of the second storage.

8. A method for exception packet processing at a look-aside processor unit, comprising:

storing at least one received lookup transaction request in a first buffer of a storage;

receiving a packet;

comparing ternary values of specific bits in the received packet with ternary values of bits in a pre-determined mask;

determining that the received packet to be an exception packet when the specific bits in the received packet agree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

associating the exception packet with one of the at least one stored lookup transaction request in accordance with an identifier of the first buffer.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the associating the exception packet with one of the at least one stored lookup transaction request in accordance with the identifier of the first buffer comprises:

associating the exception packet with one of the at least one stored lookup transaction request via a first-in-first-out method for organizing and manipulating data buffer.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

providing the exception packet to one of a plurality of requesting entities in accordance with the association.

11. An apparatus for information lookup request processing, comprising:

a control logic configured to store a received lookup transaction request in a first look-aside buffer of a first storage;

means for rebuilding the lookup transaction request into a request packet;

a transmitter configured to transmit the request packet;

a receiver configured to receive a packet;

a comparator configured to:

compare ternary values of specific bits in the received packet with ternary values of bits in a pre-determined mask;

determine the received packet to be a response packet when the specific bits in the received packet disagree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

determines the received packet to be an exception packet when the specific bits in the received packet agree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

means for processing the received packet in accordance with the determination.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the means for rebuilding the lookup transaction request into the request packet is configured to:

insert a transaction identifier comprising an identifier of the first buffer into the request packet.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the means for processing, comprises:

a second comparator comparing a transaction identifier in the response packet to a state of the request packet with a corresponding transaction identifier;

a first storage configured to store the response packet in a look-aside buffer when the state comprises a first state; and

a second storage configured to store the response packet in a buffer otherwise.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein one of a plurality of requesting entities is configured to provide an address in a memory to which to write the stored response packet.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein one of a plurality of requesting entities is configured to:

poll the state of the request packet; and

request the response packet when the state comprises a second state.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein one of a plurality of requesting entities is configured to:

request the response packet at a pre-determined time after the lookup transaction request was transmitting by the one of a plurality of requesting entities or by a different one of the plurality of requesting entities.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the second storage is further configured to store the exception packet in a buffer.

18. An apparatus for exception packet processing at a look-aside processor unit, comprising:

a storage configured to store at least one received lookup transaction request in a first buffer of a storage;

a receiver configured to receive a packet;

a comparator configured to:

compare ternary values of specific bits in the received packet with ternary values of bits in a pre-determined mask; and

determine that the received packet to be an exception packet when the specific bits in the received packet agree with the bits in the pre-determined mask; and

a returner configured to associate the exception packet with one of the at least one lookup transaction request in accordance with an identifier of the first buffer.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the control logic is configured to associate the exception packet with the one of the a least one lookup transaction request via a first-in-first-out method for organizing and manipulating data buffer.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the returner is further configured to cause the storage to provide the exception packet to one of a plurality of requesting entities in accordance with the association.