A Real-Time Fast Path Network Processor for EtherCAT and Home Gateway

Network processors, also called protocol processors, are much used in mobile communications, broadband communications, and last mile accesses. Network processors are usually divided into fast path modules and slow path processors. Traditional fast path network modules are implemented as a configurable ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) with limited flexibility. In this paper, we designed and implemented a flexible fast path programmable network processor for EtherCAT real-time applications. The designed processor can also be used as fast path processors for home gateways being used up to 10GPON accesses. The processor is designed as an ASIP (Application Specific Instruction-set Processor) and it can be programmed for Ethernet, EtherCAT, IPv4, IPv6, UDP, and ARP. We are currently programming it to adapt to 5G layer two. The main contribution from the paper includes a fast path instruction set and its architecture. The performance of our instruction set is estimated more than 13 times faster than that of a single scaling general MCU.