Patent US 5,488,734

A communications system for transmitting data utilizes one or more picoprocessors located logically out of the main data path for conducting calculations and control functions in a fashion which is decoupled or separate from the main data path. In particular, the system utilizes multiple picoprocessors for performing buffer management and high performance buffer chaining processes out of the main data path so that the main data path may be continually used in parallel. In this manner, data transfer is enhanced by offloading functions and responsibilities from the main system processor and removing unnecessary traffic from the main data path.