EP0734195A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A delay-minimizing system with guaranteed bandwith for real-time traffic
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A bandwidth allocation system allows packets or cells within traffic flows from different sources contending for access to a shared processing fabric to get access to that fabric in an order that is determined primarily on individual guaranteed bandwidth requirements associated with each traffic flow, and secondarily on overall system criteria, such as a time of arrival, or due date of packets or cells within traffic flows.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark John Karol
- 👤 Pramod Pancha
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 22:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/30; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L12/5602; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/254; H04L49/3081; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/5646; H04L2012/5649; H04L2012/5651; H04L2012/5678; H04L2012/5679; H04L49/20; H04L49/205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
In a data network, a method of allocating bandwidth within a contention cycle to information packets from traffic sources competing for access to a shared fabric of the data network, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: storing in one or more source queues the information packets arriving from the traffic sources, each stored information packet having a predefined quality of service parameter greater than a predetermined value; assigning to a guaranteed service queue any information packet having a quality of service parameter greater than a predetermined value; allocating bandwidth of the shared fabric to the at least one of the information packets assigned to the guaranteed service queue; and if the guaranteed service queue is empty, allocating bandwidth to the remaining information packets according to a predetermined criterion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said predetermined criterion is first-come-first-serve basis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said traffic sources are sub-networks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
The method of claim 1 further CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: assigning a counter of a predetermined value to each traffic source; decrementing said counter by a counter rate that is equal to a fraction of the shared fabric that needs to be allocated to the traffic source to satisfy the quality of service parameters, said decrementing step taking place only when a contending information packet from one of said traffic sources cannot be allocated bandwidth of the shared fabric within a time slot; and allocating bandwidth of the shared fabric to an information packet from one of the traffic sources if the counter for said traffic source is less than or equal to zero.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 4 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of: resetting the counter for a traffic source to a predetermined value when bandwidth of the shared fabric is allocated to an information packet from said traffic source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said sharing fabric is a switching system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
119 words
A communications apparatus CHARACTERIZED IN THAT: a plurality of queuing means for receiving information packets from a plurality of traffic sources contending for access to a shared fabric; means for selecting at least one of said information packets for immediate access to the shared fabric, the selection being based on a predetermined service guarantee associated with at least one of said traffic sources from which said at least one of said information packets was received; in response to a signal indicative of unused bandwidth on the shared fabric after the at least one selected information packet has accessed the shared fabric, means for allocating bandwidth to at least one of the remaining information packets based on a predetermined criterion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 7 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said predetermined criterion is selected from a group which includes a) first-come-first-serve criterion and b) earliest-due-date of information packet criterion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 7 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said traffic sources are subnetworks and said shared fabric is a backbone network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
116 words
The invention of claim 7 further CHARACTERIZED BY: means for assigning a counter of a predetermined value to each traffic source; means for decrementing said counter by a counter rate that is equal to a fraction of the shared fabric that needs to be allocated to the traffic source to satisfy the quality of service parameters, said decrementing means being operative only when a contending information packet from one of said traffic sources cannot be allocated bandwidth of the shared fabric within a time slot; and allocating bandwidth of the shared fabric to an information packet from one of the traffic sources if the counter for said traffic source is less than or equal to zero.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 10 further CHARACTERIZED BY: means for resetting the counter for a traffic source to the predetermined value when bandwidth of the shared fabric is allocated to an information packet from said traffic source.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of allocating bandwidth of a shared fabric to information packets within traffic flows from traffic sources contending for access to the shared fabric, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: evaluating contending information packets within a traffic flow from each traffic source based on predetermined bandwidth guarantees associated with said traffic flow; allocating bandwidth to at least one information packet based on said evaluation; and if unused bandwidth is still available on said shared fabric allocating bandwidth to at least one other information packet based on at least one predetermined criterion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 12 further CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: determining a value of a counter associated with each traffic source; and allocating bandwidth to a contending information packet if said counter for a traffic source from which said contending information packet was received is less than or equal to zero.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 13 further CHARACTERIZED BY the step of: decrementing the counter for a traffic source by a counter rate that is equal to a fraction of the shared fabric that needs to be allocated to the traffic source to satisfy the bandwidth service guarantees whenever bandwidth is allocated to an information packet from said traffic source based on the evaluating step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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