JUST IN TIME PACKET BODY PROVISION FOR WIRELESS TRANSMISSION

摘要

Wireless transmission is performed by storing, in a local memory, a header in association with reference(s) to memory locations in a separate, shared memory storing a payload for a given transmission. Each header can be associated with a QoS queue. When a selected payload is to be transmitted, a PHY preamble can begin, followed by a header from local memory, while a DMA transaction initiates to retrieve payload from the shared memory. Each retrieved portion of payload can include a link to a next location storing a next part of payload. A subsequent DMA is initiated for that part of the payload. A relatively fixed function circuit can initiate DMA and receive payload data; a programmable element can perform payload selection, for example. Multiple payloads can be aggregated (just before transmitting of a preamble) using header information stored in the fast local memory. Memory can be released after ACK of a corresponding payload.

主权项

1. A method of data transmission in a wireless networking device, comprising:
obtaining an allocation of memory in a system memory for storage of a body of a packet to be transmitted; storing, in a private memory local to a Media Access Control (MAC) device, a header of the packet and a reference to a location in the system memory from which to begin reading the body of the packet; determining that the packet is to begin transmission; initiating transmission of a physical layer preamble and header data retrieved from the private memory, responsive to the determining; outputting one or more requests to retrieve the body of the packet, from the system memory to the MAC device, using the reference to the memory location, responsive to the determining; receiving data, in the MAC device, responsive to the one or more requests; and providing the received data to a physical layer for transmission.