Processing data packets using navigational hardware assist
View Patent ↗Herein described is a system and method for improving the performance in which data packets are processed in a set-top-box. The system determines and stores one or more values into a memory. The one or more values in memory are subsequently utilized when a firmware is executed. These values are used to efficiently index locations within one or more data packets, such that processing performance is improved. Based on the types of packets received by the set-top-box, the hardware assistance provided by the system may be gradually increased or attenuated to optimize the performance in which the data packets are processed. The method involves determining the one or more values, storing the one or more values in a memory, and using said one or more values to effectively index one or more data fields in the one or more data packets.
1. A system comprising:
a first hardware for:
receiving one or more multi-layered packets,
storing data into a memory, said data obtained from a field of one or more fields of said one or more multi-layered packets, and
generating one or more offset values; and
a second hardware for executing a firmware, wherein said firmware is used for processing said one or more multi-layered packets by accessing said one or more offset values provided by said first hardware, said one or more offset values used by said firmware to assist in one or both of:
indexing said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets; and
locating said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said memory is further used for storing said one or more offset values generated by said first hardware.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises elementary stream (ES) packets.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said one or more offset values is used to specify the starting and/or ending location(s) of payload data of said one or more multi-layered packets.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said data comprises start code information.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said data comprises timestamp information.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises DIRECTV packets.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises transport stream (TS) packets and wherein said sub-layer packets comprise packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.
10. A method for processing data packets comprising:
receiving one or more multi-layered packets,
storing data into a memory, said data obtained from a field of one or more fields of said one or more multi-layered packets, and
generating one or more offset values; and
executing a firmware, wherein said firmware is used for processing said one or more multi-layered packets by accessing said one or more offset values, said one or more offset values used by said firmware to assist in one or both of:
indexing said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets; and
locating said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein said memory is further used for storing said one or more offset values.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises elementary stream (ES) packets.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein said one or more offset values is used to specify the starting and/or ending location(s) of payload data of said one or more multi-layered packets.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein said data comprises start code information.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein said data comprises timestamp information.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises DIRECTV packets.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises transport stream (TS) packets and wherein said sub-layer packets comprise packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.
19. A system for processing data packets comprising:
one or more circuits operable for, at least:
receiving one or more multi-layered packets,
storing data into a memory, said data obtained from a field of one or more fields of said one or more multi-layered packets, and
generating one or more offset values; and
executing a firmware, wherein said firmware is used for processing said one or more multi-layered packets by accessing said one or more offset values, said one or more offset values used by said firmware to assist in one or both of:
indexing said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets; and
locating said field of said one or more fields within said one or more multi-layered packets.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein said memory is further used for storing said one or more offset values.
21. The system of claim 19 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.
22. The system of claim 19 wherein said one or more multi-layered packets comprises elementary stream (ES) packets.
23. The system of claim 19 wherein said one or more offset values is used to specify the starting and/or ending location(s) of payload data of said one or more multi-layered packets.
24. The system of claim 19 wherein said data comprises start code information.
25. The system of claim 19 wherein said data comprises timestamp information.
26. The system of claim 19 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises DIRECTV packets.
27. The system of claim 19 wherein said multi-layered packets comprises transport stream (TS) packets and wherein said sub-layer packets comprise packetized elementary stream (PES) packets.