A frame stream controller IP

The IP (Intellectual Property) for frame stream control is a soft IP module designed to handle data frames of variable lengths, with different transmission rates. It works in a store and forward way, using an external SDRAM memory of arbitrary capacity. There is a receiver and a transmitter interface where frames are respectively stored and forwarded. The goal of this IP module is to handle the different kinds of protocols used in modern networks. Through the standard interface a bridge can be built between a synchronous and an asynchronous channel, or a faster and a slower rate port. A simple protocol is implemented on both reception and transmission interface, making the IP reusable for different designs. It can be used, for instance, to build an IP (Internet Protocol) LAN bridge. A protocol-specific function (Ethernet, Token Ring, etc.) has to be implemented in order to deliver the IP frame to the frame stream controller IP, and another specific protocol function to receive the IP frames from the frame controller and to transmit them through the physical media