EP0481507A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus and method for controlling cells input to ATM network
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1991-10-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-10-18
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for controlling cells which are to be input to an ATM switch includes a buffer circuit (20) for storing a cell directed to the ATM switch, and a memory (21) for storing, for each of different calls, the number of cells which are in the ATM switch. The apparatus includes a periodic calculation circuit (16), for periodically changing the number of cells for each of the different calls by an operation value, and a control part (15), for determining whether the cell stored in the buffer circuit should be output to the ATM switch or discarded by referring to the number of cells which is stored in the memory and related to the cell stored in the buffer circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Tetsuo c/o Fujitsu Limited Tachibana
- 👤 Eisuke c/o Fujitsu Limited Iwabuchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:35
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L12/5602; H04L49/00; H04L49/30; H04L49/3081; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/5631; H04L2012/5636; H04L2012/5637
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus for controlling cells which are to be input to an ATM switch, said apparatus comprising buffer means (20) for storing a cell directed to the ATM switch, characterized in that said apparatus comprises: first memory means (2l, 34, 45) for storing, for each of different calls, the number of cells which are in the ATM switch; periodic calculation means (l6, 33, 44), coupled to said first memory means, for periodically changing the number of cells for each of the different calls by an operation value; and control means (l5, 31, 43, 50), coupled to said first memory means, for determining whether the cell stored in said buffer means should be output to the ATM switch or discarded by referring to the number of cells which is stored in said first memory means and related to the cell stored in said buffer means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said control means comprises means (15) for comparing the number of cells related to the cell stored in said buffer means with a threshold value and for determining whether the cell stored in said buffer means should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of comparison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said periodic calculation means comprises means (16, 33, 44) for subtracting the operation value from the number of cells for each of the different calls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said control means comprises means (15) for discarding the cell stored in said buffer means when the number of cells related to the cell is equal to or greater than the threshold value.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim l, characterized in that said operation value is equal to l.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim l, characterized in that said operation value is greater than 1.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim l, characterized in that: said apparatus further comprises second memory means (35) for storing predetermined values respectively related to the different calls; and said control means comprises means (3l) for reading out, from said second memory means, one of the predetermined values related to the cell stored in said buffer means and for outputting, as said operation value, said one of the predetermined values to said periodic calculation means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said control means comprises correction means (31) for correcting said one of the predetermined values which is related to the cell stored in said buffer means on the basis of a calculation period of said periodic calculation means, a previous calculation time at which the periodic calculation means changes the number of cells related to one of the calls, and a current time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said correction means comprises means (3l) for correcting said one of the predetermined values on the basis of a value obtained by dividing a difference between the current time and the previous calculation time by the calculation period.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said control means comprises: first means (31, 43) for subtracting a corrected one of the predetermined values generated by said correction means from the number of cells related to the cell stored in said buffer means; and second means (31, 43) for comparing a result of subtraction output by said first means with a threshold value and for determining whether the input cell stored in said buffer means should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of comparison.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: said periodic calculation means comprises means (44) for generating a counter value which periodically increases by a predetermined counter value; and said counter value corresponds to said operation value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
170 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: said apparatus further comprises second memory means (48) for storing factors respectively related to the different calls; and said periodic calculation means comprises means (44) for generating a counter value which periodically increases by a predetermined counter value, and characterized in that said control means comprises: first means (50) for reading out, from said second memory means, one of the factors related to the cell stored in said buffer means; second means (50) for executing a predetermined operation on the counter value and said one of the factors and for subtracting a result of said predetermined operation from the number of cells which is stored in said first memory means and related to the cell stored in said buffer means; and third means (50) for determining whether the cell stored in said buffer means should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of subtraction executed by said second means of said control means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim l2, characterized in that said predetermined calculation is a multiplying operation.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim l, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: empty cell pattern generating means (22) for generating an empty cell pattern; and select means (23), coupled to said buffer means and said empty cell pattern generating means, for selecting either the cell stored in said buffer means or the empty cell pattern generated by said empty cell pattern generating means on the basis of a result of a determination executed by said control means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises means (46, 49) for reading out the number of cells for each of the calls stored in said first memory means in order to calculate a charge for each of the calls.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for controlling cells which are to be input to an ATM switch, said method comprising the step of (a) storing a cell directed to the ATM switch in a buffer memory (20) (S1; S3l; S41), characterized in that said method comprises the steps of; (b) storing, for each of different calls, the number or cells which are in the ATM switch in a first memory (2l, 34, 45); (c) periodically changing the number of cells for each of the different calls by an operation value (S8-Sll; S20-S24); and (d) determining whether the cell stored in said buffer memory should be output to the ATM switch or discarded by referring to the number of cells which is stored in said first memory and related to the cell stored in said buffer memory (S2-S7; S32-S37; S42-S47).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said step (d) comprises the steps of: comparing the number of cells related to the cell stored in said buffer memory with a threshold value, and (S3); determining whether the cell stored in said buffer memory should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of comparison (S3).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said step (c) the step of subtracting the operation value from the number of cells for each of the different calls (Sl0).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said step (d) comprises the step of discarding the cell stored in said buffer memory when the number of cells related to the cell is equal to or greater than the threshold value (S4).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim l6, characterized in that said operation value is equal to 1.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim l6, characterized in that said operation value is greater than l.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: said method further comprises the step of storing predetermined values respectively related to the different calls in a second memory (35), and characterized in that said step (d) comprises the step of reading out, from said second memory, one of the predetermined values related to the cell stored in said buffer memory, said one of the predetermined values corresponding to said operation value (S2l).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said step (d) comprises the step of (d-1) correcting said one of the predetermined values which is related to the cell stored in said buffer memory on the basis of a calculation period of said step (c), a previous calculation time at which said step (c) changes the number of cells related to one of the calls, and a current time (S33).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that said step (d-l) comprises the step of correcting said one of the predetermined values on the basis of a value obtained by dividing a difference between the current time and the previous calculation time by the calculation period (S33).
Claim 25
Independent Claim
92 words
A method as claimed in claim l3, characterized in that said step (d) comprises the steps of: (d-2) subtracting a corrected one of the predetermined values generated by said step (d-1) from the number of cells related to the cell stored in said buffer memory (S34); (d-3) comparing a result of subtraction output by said step (d-2) with a threshold value (S34); and (d-4) determining whether the input cell stored in said buffer memory should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of comparison (S34).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: said step (c) comprises the step of generating a counter value which periodically increases by a predetermined counter value; and said counter value corresponds to said operation value.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
164 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that: said method further comprises the step of (e) storing factors respectively related to the different calls in a second memory; and said step (c) comprises the step of (c-1) generating a counter value which periodically increases by a predetermined counter value, and characterized in that said step (d) comprises the steps of: (d-1) reading out, from said second memory, one of the factors related to the cell stored in said buffer memory (S42); (d-2) executing a predetermined operation on the counter value and said one of the factors and for subtracting a result of said predetermined operation from the number of cells which is stored in said first memory and related to the cell stored in said buffer memory (S43); and (d-3) determining whether the cell stored in said buffer memory should be output to the ATM switch or discarded on the basis of a result of subtraction executed by said step (d-2) (S43).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that said predetermined calculation is a multiplying operation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim l6, characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: (e) generating an empty cell pattern; and (f) selecting either the cell stored in said buffer memory or the empty cell pattern on the basis of a result of a determination executed by said step (d).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said method further comprises the step of reading out the number of cells for each of the calls stored in said first memory in order to calculate a charge for each of the cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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