JPH05110600A - Sequence control method for received packet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a throughput by shortening the time required for an input, in sequence control for received packets to which a serial sequence number is given, transmitted through plural parallel links, and inputting the packets to a host from each link in order of its number. CONSTITUTION:In receiving side communication controllers 2, 6 and 7 of each link, each of them is connected in advance by a broadcast bus 9, and by mutually informing the sequence number of the packet to be inputted to a host 1 in the next time, sequence control is executed in parallel by each communication controller, and the time required for inputting it to the host 1 is shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling the order of received packets on the receiving side in packet communication. More specifically, each of the series of packets with a sequence number is transmitted from the transmitting side to the receiving side in parallel via any of a plurality of parallel links connecting the transmitting side and the receiving side, and at the receiving side, The present invention relates to a method of controlling the order of received packets by checking the sequence number of each packet arriving via each link and fetching the packet from each link into a receiving device in the order of that number.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an outline of receiving side equipment for packet communication. In the figure, 1 is a host system, 8 is a sequence controller, 4 is a switch, 2,
Reference numerals 6 and 7 are communication control devices, and reference numerals 5, 51 and 52 are links.

Through a parallel link 5, 51, 52, a series of packets with sequence numbers are transmitted in parallel from a transmission side (not shown).
If a series of packets with sequence numbers are represented as packets, packets, packets, ..., The packets are not necessarily in a fixed order, and the parallel links 5, 51, Sent by any of 52.

The sequence control unit 8 switches the switch 4 to scan the respective communication control devices 2, 6 and 7, check the sequence number of the packet waiting for reception transfer within each communication control device, and perform the sequence control. A fixed order, namely packets,
Packets, packets, and so on are transferred in this order to the host system 1 and captured.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a mode of the operation of such sequence control. In the figure, the current time T1
Pay attention to 1. At this time, it is assumed that there is a packet waiting to be received and transferred in the communication control device 2, there is nothing in the communication control device 6, and there is in the communication control device 7. At time T11, assuming that the switch 4 is connected to the communication control device 2 and the order control unit 8 searches for the communication control device 2, the communication control device 2 has nothing but the first one. The order control unit 8 does not capture (transfer) the packet to the host system 1.

Next, at time T12, the switch 4 switches to the communication control device 6, and the order control unit 8 searches for the communication control device 6, but since there are no packets in the communication control device 6, the order control is also performed. The unit 8 cannot take in the packet to the host system 1.

Next, at time T13, the switch 4 is switched to the communication control unit 7, and the order control unit 8 searches for the communication control unit 7. Then, since a packet exists there, the order control unit 8 fetches the packet into the host system 1 as the first packet.

Next, at time T14, the switch 4 is turned on.
In addition, it returns to the original state and connects to the communication control device 2. Next time,
The order control unit 8 searches the communication control device 2 for a packet. Then, since the packet exists there, the order control unit 8 fetches the packet into the host system 1.

Similarly, at time T15, the switch 4
Switches to connect to the communication control device 6. Next time,
The sequence control unit 8 searches the communication control device 6 for a packet. At that time, since there is no packet, the order control unit 8 does not take anything into the host system 1. It is assumed that the packet arrives at the communication control device 6 by the next time T16. Below, time T
At 17, 18, ..., Search and packet transfer as shown are performed.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing the processing time series of the conventional sequence control method described above. In the figure,
Packet 1 to be taken in (transferred) is described as follows: "Next decision" (decision of multilink sequence number to be transferred to the host next), "Read" (read sequence number), "Judgment" (communication control) Since the received packet in the device should be transferred to the host next time) is performed as an overhead for each link and "transfer" (reception report to the host) is performed, if the number of links increases, It will be appreciated that the overhead will increase proportionally and the throughput will not improve.

[0011]

According to the conventional method for controlling the order of received packets, as described above, the switch 4 sequentially switches all communication control devices while searching for and fetching the next packet to be captured. Therefore, when the number of communication control devices (the number of links) increases, there is a problem that the overhead increases in proportion thereto and the throughput does not improve.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art and to shorten the time required to fetch a packet from a link to a host even if the number of communication control devices (the number of links) increases. It is to provide a method of controlling the order of received packets that can improve throughput.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, each of a series of packets to which a sequence number is added is parallelized via any of a plurality of parallel links connecting a transmission side and a reception side. In the method of controlling the order of received packets, the sequence number of each packet arriving via each link is checked from the transmitting side to the receiving side, and the packet is fetched from each link to the receiving device in the order of that number. ,

In each link on the receiving side, when a packet arrives, the sequence number of the arriving packet is checked, and if the sequence number is the first number to be captured, the arriving packet is captured in the receiving device and Create a sequence number to be captured next from the sequence number and broadcast it to all other receiver links,

If it is not the first number to be captured,
Before that, it compares with the sequence number broadcast from other receiving side links, and if they match, it captures the arriving packet to the receiving device, and then creates the sequence number to be captured next from that sequence number. It broadcasts to all the receiver links of (1) and waits for the arrival of the next packet, and so on.

[0016]

According to the present invention, each reception side link (communication control device) does not provide a dedicated processing unit for performing sequence control, and each reception side link (communication control device) transfers the sequence number of a packet to be transferred next to the reception device (host) and mutually Since the receiving side links judge each other and receive the next packet to be captured, only the receiving side link transfers the packet to the receiving device, thereby realizing parallelization of the order control. The throughput can be improved.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same as in FIG.
The same reference numerals are attached. In addition, 3 is a packet transfer bus, and 9 is a broadcast signal line. As is apparent from comparing FIG. 1 with FIG. 14, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 does not include the conventional time control unit 8 and the switch 4, and instead,
A packet transfer bus 3 that connects between the host system 1 and the communication control devices 2, 6, 7 and the communication control devices 2, 6,
It will be appreciated that there is a broadcast signal line 9 connecting 7 to each other.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the communication control device in FIG. 1 (since all devices have the same configuration, for example, 2 is selected). In FIG. 2, 2 is a communication control device, 21 is a transfer procedure control unit, 22 is a sequence number increment processing unit, 23 is a sequence waiting buffer, 24 is a sequence number comparison processing unit, 25 is a broadcast transmission processing unit, and 26 is a packet. A transfer processing unit, 27 is a broadcast reception processing unit, and 9 is a broadcast signal line.

The transfer procedure control unit 21 processes the packet received from the other party (not shown) according to a predetermined transfer procedure and sends it to the order waiting buffer 23 to store it. The sequence waiting buffer 23 notifies the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 of the sequence number of the packet every time a packet arrives (hereinafter, referred to as S), or each time there is a request from the sequence number comparison processing unit 24. , The sequence number (S) of the first packet in the packets in the buffer is notified to the sequence number comparison processing unit 24.

The broadcast reception processing unit 27 sends another broadcast control signal from the other communication control device to the host system 1 via the broadcast signal line 9.
When the sequence number (hereinafter, referred to as NS) of the packet to be transferred to is broadcast, the NS is notified to the sequence number comparison processing unit 24.

When the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 receives the S notification of the packet currently waiting to be transferred to the host system 1 from the order waiting buffer 23, it is already notified from the broadcast reception processing unit 27 at that time. When it is compared with NS or when the notification of NS is received from the broadcast reception processing unit 27, it is compared with S already notified from the order waiting buffer 23 at that time, and if they match, the packet transfer processing unit 26 is notified of the packet. Instruct transfer. At the same time, the sequence number increment processing unit 22 is notified of S to instruct the increment.

Upon receiving the transfer instruction from the sequence number comparison processing unit 24, the packet transfer processing unit 26 transfers the first packet among the packets in the order waiting buffer 23 to the host system 1. Upon receiving the instruction from the sequence number comparison processing unit 24, the sequence number increment processing unit 22 increments the notified S (this incremented value becomes a new NS) and notifies the broadcast transmission processing unit 25. , Send a new NS.

Then, the broadcast transmission processing unit 25 broadcasts the notified new NS to other communication control devices via the broadcast signal line 9. The above is the outline of the operation of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication control device, and the processing shown in this chart is performed by each communication control device in FIG. 1 independently.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 3, each step S will be described in order. First start. S11: Standby. Wait for packet reception or broadcast from another communication control device. S12: When a normal packet is received, the order waiting buffer 23 determines whether or not there is a packet in the transfer waiting queue for the host 1.

S13: If there is a packet, the waiting buffer 23 holds the received packet as it is. S14: If there is no packet in the waiting queue, the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 is notified of S of the packet.

S15: Sequence number comparison processing unit 2
4 compares the previously sent NS with S, and determines whether or not the packet should be transferred to the host 1 next. S16: If the packet is not to be transferred to the host 1, the order waiting buffer 23 holds the packet as it is.

S17: If the packet is to be transferred to the host 1, the sequence number comparison processing section 24 instructs the packet transfer processing section 26 to transfer the packet, and further instructs the sequence number increment processing section 22 to increment S. .. The sequence number increment processing unit 22 increments NS to create (NS + 1) as a new NS, and the broadcast transmission processing unit 25 receives the new N.
Notify S and instruct broadcast.

S18: When receiving the instruction, the broadcast transmission processing unit 25 broadcasts the NS to the outside (another communication control device). S19: When the packet transfer processing unit 26 receives the instruction,
Transfer the packet to the host 1.

S110: When the broadcast reception processing unit 27 receives the broadcast, it notifies the sequence number comparison processing unit 24. The sequence number comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not there is a packet in the order waiting buffer 23.

S111: If there is a packet, the S is received by the order waiting buffer 23. S112: The broadcasted NS is compared with the S received from the order waiting buffer 23 to determine whether they match. The following is the same as described above.

In the initial state shown in FIG. 14, the communication control device 7 receives a packet with S = 1, the communication control device 6 receives no packet, and the communication control device 2 receives packets with S = 2 and 4. Shows the state where NS = 1 at this time.
An example of the operation of the system in the case of is shown in FIG. 4 and 5
Refer to.

T21: The communication control unit 7 transfers the packet of S = 1 to the host 1 and broadcasts NS = 2. T22: Each communication control device compares the S of the first packet in the waiting queue with the NS broadcast. In this case, the communication control device 2 transfers the packet to the host 1.

T23: The communication control device 2 broadcasts NS = 3. T24: Each communication control device compares S of the first packet in the waiting queue with the NS broadcast. Not applicable in this case.

T25: The packet (S = 3) arrives at the communication control device 6. T26: The communication control device 6 transfers the packet to the host 1.

T27: The communication control device 6 broadcasts NS = 4. T28: Each communication control device compares the S of the first packet in the waiting queue with the NS broadcast. In this case, the communication control device 2 transfers the packet to the host 1.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the communication control devices notify each other of the sequence number of the packet to be transferred next to the host by broadcast, so that each communication control device receives independently. It is possible to determine whether or not to transfer the packet to the host, the order control is performed in parallel, the dedicated processing unit is not required, and the throughput is improved.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In addition, 91 is a token signal line. As is clear from the comparison of FIG. 6 with FIG. 1, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, it is recognized that the broadcast signal line 9 is not provided and the token signal line 91 is provided instead. Will.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication control device in FIG. 6 (all devices have the same configuration, so for example, 2 is selected). In FIG. 7, 2 is a communication control device, 21 is a transfer procedure control unit, 22 is a sequence number increment processing unit, 23 is a sequence waiting buffer, 24 is a sequence number comparison processing unit, 251 is a token transmission processing unit, and 26 is packet transfer. Processing unit, 271
Is a token reception processing unit, and 91 is a token signal line.

The transfer procedure control unit 21 processes the packet received from the other party (not shown) according to a predetermined transfer procedure, and sends it to the order waiting buffer 23 for storage. The sequence buffer 23 compares the sequence number (S) of each packet with the sequence number comparison processing unit 24.
Or the sequence number comparison processing unit 2
Every time there is a request from 4, the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 is notified of the sequence number (S) of the first packet in the packets in the buffer.

When the token reception processing unit 271 receives the sequence number (NS) of the packet to be transferred next to the host system 1 from the other communication control device via the token signal line 91, the token reception processing unit 271 receives the sequence number NS. To the sequence number comparison processing unit 24.

When the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 receives the notification of S from the order waiting buffer 23, the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 compares it with the NS that it holds at that time, and if they match, it transfers the packet to the packet transfer processing unit 26. Give instructions. At the same time, the sequence number increment processing unit 22 is notified of S to instruct the increment.

When the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 receives the NS notification from the token reception processing unit 271,
At that point, the NS held by the user is compared with the notified NS, and if the NS held by the user is large or equal, it is determined that this token is the token previously sent by the user. ,Discard.

When the notified NS is large, the token transmission processing unit 251 is instructed to transfer the token as it is. A notification request for S is sent to the waiting buffer 23, the newly notified NS is compared with S, and if they match, the packet transfer processing unit 26 is instructed to transfer the packet. at the same time,
The sequence number increment processing unit 22 is notified of S to instruct the increment.

Upon receiving the instruction from the sequence number comparison processing unit 24, the packet transfer processing unit 26 transfers the first packet among the packets in the order waiting buffer 23 to the host system 1. The sequence number increment processing unit 22 includes a sequence number comparison processing unit 24.
When the instruction is received from S., the notified S is incremented (this incremented value becomes a new NS), the token transmission processing unit 251 is notified of the new NS, and transmission is instructed.

The token transmission processing unit 251 then broadcasts the notified new NS to another communication control device via the token signal line 91. The above is FIG. 6 and FIG.
The outline of the operation of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be described below in more detail with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing the operation of the communication control device together, and the processing shown in this chart will be described with reference to FIG.
Each of the communication control devices described above independently.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, each step S
I will explain in order while following. First, start in FIG. S21: Standby. Wait for packet reception or token reception. S22: When a normal packet is received, the order waiting buffer 23 determines whether there is a packet.

S23: If there is a packet, the waiting buffer 23 holds the received packet as it is. S24: When there is no packet, the sequence comparison processing unit 24 is notified of S of the packet.

S25: The sequence comparison processing section 24 judges whether or not the packet is to be transferred to the host next,
If the packet is a corresponding packet, the sequence number increment processing unit 22 is instructed to increment NS and the packet transfer processing unit 26 is instructed to transfer.

S26: If the packet is not to be transferred to the host 1, the order waiting buffer 23 holds the packet as it is. S27: Sequence number increment processing unit 22
Increments NS, and the token transmission processing unit 25
Instruct 1 to send.

S28: The token transmission processing section 251 sends the token to the outside (another communication control device). S29: The packet transfer processing unit 26 transfers the packet to the host 1. S210: The order waiting buffer 23 determines whether or not there is a packet in the transfer waiting queue to the host 1.

S211: When there is a sequence waiting packet, the S is read and the sequence number comparison processing unit 24 is notified. S212: The sequence number comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not the packet is to be transferred to the host 1 next,
If the packet is a corresponding packet, the sequence number increment processing unit 22 is instructed to increment NS, and the packet transfer processing unit 26 is instructed to transfer.

S213: The sequence number comparison processing section 24 compares the NS received from the token receiving section 271 with the NS currently held by itself. S214: Discard the token if the NS it holds is large.

S215: If the NS in the token is large, the token transmission processing unit 251 is instructed to transmit the token.
The token transmission unit 251 transmits a token. S216: The sequence number comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not there is a packet in the order waiting buffer 23.

S217: If there is a packet, the S is received from the waiting buffer 23. S218: The sequence number comparison processing unit 24 determines whether or not the packet should be transferred to the host next, and if it is the corresponding packet, the sequence increment processing unit 2
The NS is incremented to 2 by the packet transfer processing unit 26.
To instruct the transfer.

In the initial state of FIG. 10, the communication control device 7 receives a packet with S = 1, the communication control device 6 receives no packet, and the communication control device 2 receives packets with S = 2 and 4. Shows the state where NS = 1 at this time.
An example of the operation of the system in the case of is shown in FIG. Figure 10,
Referring to FIG.

T31: The communication control device 2 uses the token (N
Send S = 1). T32: The token (NS = 1) arrives at the communication control device 6.
Update my NS. The token is sent as is.

T33: The token arrives at the communication control unit 7 (NS = 1). Update my own NS. The token is sent as is. T34: The communication control device 7 transfers the packet (S = 1) to the host 1. Send token (NS = 2). The token (NS = 1) arrives at the communication control device 2. Discard this.

T35: The token (NS
= 2) arrived. Update my NS. The token is sent as is. T36: The communication control device 2 transfers the packet (S = 2) to the host. Send token (NS = 3). The token (NS = 2) arrives at the communication control device 6. Update my own NS. The token is sent as is.

T37: The token (NS
= 3) Arrival. Update my own NS. The token is sent as is. T37: The token arrives at the communication control device 2, but the NS in the token is (3), which is not applicable. The token (NS = 2) arrives at the communication control device 7. Discard this.

T38: The token arrives at the communication control unit 7 (NS = 3). Update my own NS. The token is sent as is. T39: The token (NS = 1) arrives at the communication control device 2. Discard this. Packet to communication control device 6 (S = 3)
arrival. Transfer this to the host. Send token (NS = 4).

T310: The token arrives at the communication control unit 7 (NS = 4). Update my own NS. The token is sent as is. T311: A token arrives at the communication control device 2 (NS =
4). Update my own NS. The token is sent as is. T312: The communication control device 2 transfers the packet (S = 4) to the host 1. Send token (NS = 5).

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the communication control devices notify each other of the sequence number of the packet to be transferred next to the host by the token circulation, so that the communication control devices can independently operate. It is possible to determine whether or not to transfer the received packet to the host, the order control is performed in parallel, the dedicated processing unit is not required, and the throughput is improved. Further, in this embodiment, since the communication control device discards the token sent by itself, the token management is surely performed, and it is possible to check the loss of the token, which is highly reliable.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, the sequence numbers to be transferred next to the host are notified by the broadcast format or the token circulation, whereby the parallelization of the sequence control can be realized. As a result, the time required for the sequence control process does not depend on the number of communication control devices, and the throughput is improved. In the case of mutual notification by token circulation, each communication control device manages the token sent by itself, which is highly reliable.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing time series of the sequence control method according to the present invention when the broadcast signal line is used. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing time series of the sequence control method according to the present invention when the token signal line is used.
In both figures, as compared with FIG. 14 showing the processing time series of the conventional order control method, as a result of the processing being performed in parallel,
It will be appreciated that the throughput is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication control device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the communication control device in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an initial state of each communication control device as an operation example in the embodiment of FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram showing how packets are transferred from the initial state of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication control device in FIG.

8 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the communication control device in FIG.

9 is a flowchart showing the remaining part of the operation of the communication control device in FIG.

10 is a block diagram showing an initial state of each communication control device as an operation example in the embodiment of FIG. 6. FIG.

11 is an explanatory diagram showing how packets are transferred from the initial state of FIG.

12 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing time series of order control in the embodiment of FIG.

13 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing time series of order control in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a conventional received packet sequence control method and an initial state of its operation.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation example of a conventional received packet order control method.

16 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing time series of the conventional order control shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Host system, 2, 6, 7 ... Communication control device, 3 ...
Packet transfer bus, 4 ... Switch, 5, 51, 52 ...
Link, 9 ... Broadcast signal line, 91 ... Token signal line,
21 ... Transfer procedure control unit, 22 ... Sequence number increment processing unit, 23 ... Sequence waiting buffer, 24 ... Sequence number comparison processing unit, 25 ... Broadcast transmission processing unit,
26 ... Packet transfer processing unit, 27 ... Broadcast reception processing unit, 2
51 ... Token transmission processing unit, 271 ... Token reception processing unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A series of packets to which a sequence number is assigned are transmitted from a transmission side to a reception side in parallel via any of a plurality of parallel links connecting the transmission side and the reception side, and the reception side , Check the sequence number of each packet arriving via each link, in order of that number,
In the method for controlling the order of received packets which takes in packets from each link to the receiving device, when a packet arrives at each link on the receiving side, the sequence number of the arriving packet is checked, and that sequence number is the first number to be taken in. When the arrival packet is captured by the receiving device, a sequence number to be captured next is created from that sequence number and broadcast to all other receiving links. To
It compares with the sequence number broadcast from other receiving side links, and if they match, it captures the arriving packet into the receiving device, then creates the sequence number to be captured next from that sequence number, and receives all other received packets. A method of controlling the order of received packets, which is characterized in that the packet is broadcast to the side link, the next packet arrives, and the same process is repeated.