PACKET HANDLER FOR HIGH SPEED DATA NETWORKS

摘要

An improved packet handler for VoIP cable modems and other high-speed digital devices includes a direct communication link via hardware among internal processing components. Incoming and outgoing digital information packets are filtered into MAC packets, voice PDU packets, and non-voice PDU packets, such that priority can be given to relaying voice packets and minimizing potential voice delay within the cable network. Hardware components, including specialized logic circuitry, modify voice packets to an appropriate signal form for subsequent signal processing or signal transmission. Proprietary bus communication protocols can also be provided to facilitate relay of packets between a central processing unit (CPU) and a digital signal processor (DSP) within a VoIP cable modem. Line cards including subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) and subscriber line audio processing circuit (SLAC) components provide analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion functionality.

主权项

1. An apparatus for routing digital information packets, the apparatus comprising:
a software-programmed processor; hardware components configured:
to separate incoming packets into packets requiring digital signal processing and packets not requiring digital signal processing;to separate payload information from header information for the packets requiring digital signal processing; andto transfer the payload information of the packets requiring digital signal processing to at least one digital signal processor (DSP) via a hardware path which bypasses the software-programmed processor, the DSP being configured to perform digital signal processing on the payload information of the packets requiring digital signal processing to provide processed signal information; and a transmitter configured to transmit the processed signal information on a network.