Method and apparatus for the dynamic allocation of buffers in a digital communications network

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating memory space from the first subset, the second subset, and the remaining memory space, as needed, to each queue associated with an activated channel.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, wherein all of the plurality channels are activated such that a sum of the first and second subsets is equal to B total , the step of allocating memory space being limited to allocating memory space only from the first and second subsets of buffers.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3, wherein the step of allocating memory space is limited such that each activated channel has an associated maximum number of bytes from the remaining memory space that may be allocated to its associated queue.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6, further including providing a distinct set of queuing parameters each buffer queue associated with an activated channel, each set of queuing parameters including a target queue depth value based on a number of buffers reserved for allocation for the buffer queue from the fixed and reserved regions.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7, further including determining whether to allocate a buffer to a particular buffer queue by comparing the target queue depth value to an actual queue depth value if the fixed and reserved regions comprise all of the memory space.

Claim 12

The method of claim 6, further including providing a distinct set of queuing parameters each buffer queue associated with an activated channel, each set of queuing parameters including a maximum queue depth value based on a number of buffers reserved for allocation for the buffer queue from the fixed and reserved regions and a maximum number of buffers available for allocation to that buffer queue from the common region.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, further including determining whether to allocate a buffer to a particular buffer queue by comparing the maximum queue depth value to an actual queue depth value.

Claim 14

A communications controller for transmitting data from a first system to a second system via a plurality of channels, comprising: a buffer pool partitioned into a fixed region, a reserved region, and a common region, wherein buffers from the fixed region are reserved for allocation to buffer queues associated with each of the channels, buffers from the reserved region are reserved for allocation to buffer queues associated with channels activated for transmission wherein a size of the reserved region is varied dynamically in response to initial burst sizes of channels that are activated to transmit data, and the common region comprises any remaining buffers that are free for allocation to any buffer queue; and a queuing processor coupled to receive data from the first system and store the data in the buffer queues; a servicing processor coupled to transmit data from the buffer queues to the second system; and a distinct set of queuing parameters for each buffer queue maintained by the servicing processor, the queuing processor using the queuing parameters to allocate buffers to buffer queues, the servicing processor using the queuing parameters to service the buffer queues.

Claim 15

A communications controller for transmitting data from a first system to a second system via a plurality of channels, comprising: a buffer pool partitioned into a fixed region, a reserved region, and a common region, wherein buffers from the fixed region are reserved for allocation to buffer queues associated with each of the channels, buffers from the reserved region are reserved for allocation to buffer queues associated with channels activated for transmission wherein a size of the reserved region is varied dynamically in response to initial burst sizes of channels that are activated to transmit data, and the common region comprises any remaining buffers that are free for allocation to any buffer queue; and a queuing processor coupled to receive data from the first system and store the data in the buffer queues; a servicing processor coupled to transmit data from the buffer queues to the second system; and a distinct set of queuing parameters for each buffer queue maintained by the servicing processor, the queuing processor using the queuing parameters to allocate buffers to buffer queues, the servicing processor using the queuing parameters to service the buffer queues.

Claim 16

The method of claim 2, further comprising allocating memory space from the first subset, the second subset, and the remaining memory space, as needed, to each queue associated with an activated channel.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12, wherein all of the plurality channels are activated such that a sum of the first and second subsets is equal to B total , the step of allocating memory space being limited to allocating memory space only from the first and second subsets of buffers.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12, wherein the step of allocating memory space is limited such that each activated channel has an associated maximum number of bytes from the remaining memory space that may be allocated to its associated queue.