摘要 |
A serial buffer monitors an incoming stream of packets to identify single missing packets and multiple consecutive missing packets. Upon detecting multiple consecutive missing packets, an interrupt is generated, thereby stopping the data transfer. Upon detecting a single missing packet, a single missing packet identifier is inserted into the packet header of the packet that resulted in identification of the single missing packet. The incoming packets, including any inserted single missing packet identifiers, are written to a queue. When the water level reaches the water mark of the queue, the stored packets are read to create an outgoing packet stream. When a packet read from the queue includes an inserted single missing packet identifier, a dummy packet (e.g., a packet having a data payload of all zeros) is inserted into the outgoing packet stream. As a result, real-time applications are capable of processing the outgoing packet stream in a constant fashion. |