Network adapter for interrupting host computer system in the event the host device driver is in both transmit and receive sleep states

摘要

A network adapter with an interrupt generation circuit to minimize the number of host computer system interrupts needed to notify the host computer system that the network adapter has consumed one or more host memory buffers. The interrupt generation circuit issues an interrupt to the host computer system when the host computer system has entered both a transmit sleep state and a receive sleep state, and the network adapter has consumed a host memory buffer not processed by the host computer system. When the host computer system has no work to do with respect to transmit buffers in the host computer memory, it enters a transmit sleep state and indicates to the network adapter the last transmit buffer it processed. When the host computer system has no work to do with respect to receive buffers in the host computer memory, it enters a receive sleep state and indicates to the network adapter the last receive buffer it processed. If subsequent to both these indications, the network adapter consumes a host memory buffer that the host computer system has not processed, the interrupt generation circuit issues an interrupt to the host computer system. The network adapter further includes means for the host computer system to notify the network adapter that the host computer has produced multiple host memory buffers for the network adapter to consume.