Network device driver performing initial packet processing within high priority hardware interrupt service routine and then finishing processing within low priority software interrupt service routine

摘要

A network device such as an Asynchronous Transfer Method (ATM) device with a high level interrupt which begins processing a packet and transfers process control to a lower level software interrupt which completes the packet processing. Prior to the transfer of process control, the hardware interrupt generates a put information for the packet which is then retrieved and utilized by the software interrupt to process the packet. A unique generation number is assigned to each data stream generated for the packet. The generation number associated with a given packet's put information is compared to the generation number of a data stream to which the packet is destined to. If the generation numbers are equal, it is assumed that the data stream to which the packet is destined to has not been changed and the packet is forwarded to the data stream for further processing.