US6167452A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Joint flow control mechanism in a telecommunications network
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
•
Filing: 1999-10-14
•
Granted: 2000-12-26
•
Expires: 2019-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A mechanism enabling plural queues in a downstream telecommunications network element to be treated as a single, joint queue for purposes of connection-level flow control. A pointer in at least one queue descriptor points to a queue descriptor in which is maintained a set of shared, joint counters. Other flow control elements are maintained individually with respect to each queue descriptor. This mechanism enables flow control elements associated with a single transmitter queue to flow control plural connections terminating in plural queues associated with a single receiver processor.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. Manning
- 👤 Stephen A. Caldara
- 👤 Stephen A. Hauser
- 👤 Alan D. Sherman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:37
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/18; G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/163; G06F15/173; G06F15/17356; G06F15/17368; G06F15/17375; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4604; H04L12/4608; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L12/5602; H04L12/64; H04L12/6402; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/0896; H04L47/11; H04L47/15; H04L47/16; H04L47/26; H04L47/266; H04L47/29; H04L47/30; H04L47/50; H04L47/52; H04L47/521; H04L47/522; H04L47/525; H04L47/56; H04L47/62; H04L47/621; H04L47/6215; H04L47/622; H04L47/6225; H04L47/625; H04L47/627; H04L47/70; H04L47/72; H04L47/722; H04L47/74; H04L47/743; H04L47/745; H04L47/76; H04L47/762; H04L47/78; H04L47/782; H04L47/80; H04L47/805; H04L47/82; H04L47/822; H04L49/00; H04L49/10; H04L49/101; H04L49/103; H04L49/104; H04L49/105; H04L49/106; H04L49/107; H04L49/108; H04L49/15; H04L49/1515; H04L49/153; H04L49/1553; H04L49/1576; H04L49/20; H04L49/201; H04L49/203; H04L49/205; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/254; H04L49/255; H04L49/256; H04L49/30; H04L49/3009; H04L49/3081; H04L49/309; H04L49/45; H04L49/455; H04L49/50; H04L49/501; H04L49/503; H04L49/505; H04L49/506; H04L49/55; H04L49/552; H04L49/90; H04L49/901; H04L49/9047; H04L49/9063; H04L49/9078; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/324; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04W; H04W28/00; H04W28/02; H04W28/10; H04W28/14; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/06; H04J3/0635; H04J3/0682; H04J3/0685; H04L2012/5614; H04L2012/5616; H04L2012/5625; H04L2012/5627; H04L2012/5628; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/5631; H04L2012/5632; H04L2012/5634; H04L2012/5635; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/564; H04L2012/5642; H04L2012/5643; H04L2012/5646; H04L2012/5647; H04L2012/5648; H04L2012/5649; H04L2012/565; H04L2012/5651; H04L2012/5652; H04L2012/5672; H04L2012/5678; H04L2012/5679; H04L2012/5681; H04L2012/5682; H04L2012/5683; H04L2012/5684; H04L2012/5685; H04L41/0897; H04L41/40; H04L49/508; H04L49/555; H04L7/00; H04L7/04; H04L7/041; H04L7/046; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S370/00; Y10S370/901; Y10S370/902; Y10S370/903; Y10S370/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for providing flow control over a communications medium between a first node and a second node, comprising: receiving a plurality of data units in a plurality of queues associated with said second node, each of said plurality of queues having a respective descriptor associated therewith in said second node; adjusting an offset segment in said descriptor of each of a subset of said plurality of queues to reference a common queue descriptor in said second node as a joint queue descriptor; maintaining collective flow control information, pertaining to said subset of said plurality of queues, in said joint queue descriptor; and making said collective flow control information available from said second node to said first node.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for providing flow control over a communications medium between a first node and a second node, comprising: receiving a plurality of data units in a plurality of queues associated with said second node, each of said plurality of queues having a respective descriptor associated therewith in said second node; adjusting an offset segment in said descriptor of each of a subset of said plurality of queues to reference a common queue descriptor in said second node as a joint queue descriptor; maintaining collective flow control information, pertaining to said subset of said plurality of queues, in said joint queue descriptor; and making said collective flow control information available from said second node to said first node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of maintaining collective flow control information comprises maintaining, in said joint queue descriptor, one set of collective flow control parameters associated with said subset of said plurality of queues.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said step of maintaining collective flow control information further comprises maintaining individual sets of flow control parameters, each of said individual sets of flow control parameters being associated with a respective queue of said subset of said plurality of queues and being logically associated with said one set of collective flow control parameters associated with said subset of said plurality of queues.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of maintaining collective flow control information further comprises maintaining, in said joint queue descriptor, a count of data units buffered and enqueued in association with said subset of said plurality of queues.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising: transmitting an update data unit from said second node to said first node in response to said count of buffered and enqueued data units exceeding a limit value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving a control data unit, from said first node, in said second node and modifying said count of buffered and enqueued data units in response to the contents of said control data unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of maintaining collective flow control information further comprises maintaining, in said joint queue descriptor, a count of data units forwarded out of said subset of said plurality of queues.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising: receiving a control data unit, from said first node, in said second node and modifying said count of data units forwarded out of said plurality of queues in response to the contents of said control data unit.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for enabling multiple receiving queues to be flow-controlled as a single, joint queue, comprising: a receiving node having said multiple receiving queues associated therewith, each adapted for receiving data cells from a sending node via a communications link; a queue descriptor associated with each of said receiving queues in said receiving node; a joint queue descriptor, associated with said single, joint queue in said receiving node, for use in providing collective flow control information for said multiple receiving queues; and a queue descriptor offset indicator associated with each of said receiving queue descriptors, said indicator providing an offset pointer to said joint queue descriptor in said receiving node.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for enabling multiple receiving queues to be flow-controlled as a single, joint queue, comprising: a receiving node having said multiple receiving queues associated therewith, each adapted for receiving data cells from a sending node via a communications link; a queue descriptor associated with each of said receiving queues in said receiving node; a joint queue descriptor, associated with said single, joint queue in said receiving node, for use in providing collective flow control information for said multiple receiving queues; and a queue descriptor offset indicator associated with each of said receiving queue descriptors, said indicator providing an offset pointer to said joint queue descriptor in said receiving node.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said joint queue descriptor includes a joint buffer counter for counting a number of buffers in use by said multiple receiving queues in said receiving node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of said receiving queue descriptors includes a buffer limit value for comparison against said joint buffer counter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said joint queue descriptor includes an update counter for counting a number of data cells received by said multiple receiving queues after a most recent provision of collective flow control information by said receiving node.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said receiving queue descriptors includes an update counter limit value for comparison against said update counter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said joint queue descriptor is modifiable in response to receipt, by said single, joint queue, of a correcting data cell from said sending node.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said joint queue descriptor further includes a count of data cells forwarded out of said multiple receiving queues, and wherein said count of data cells forwarded is modifiable in response to receipt of said correcting data cell from said sending node.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said joint queue descriptor further includes a count of data cells received in said multiple receiving queues, and wherein said count of data cells received is modifiable in response to receipt of said correcting data cell from said sending node.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said receiving node comprises a communications network switch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said communications network switch comprises an asynchronous transfer mode switch.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-12-26 | 2004-06-26 | 2004-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-26 | 2008-06-26 | 2008-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-26 | 2012-06-26 | 2012-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |