ATM cell scheduler

US5533020A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Jonathan Byrn · Kasson, US
• Gary S. Delp · Rochester, US
• Philip Lynn Leichty · Rochester, US
• Baiju V. Patel · Portland, US
• Kevin G. Plotz · Byron, US
• Frank A. Schaffa · Hartsdale, US
• Marc Willebeek-LeMair · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 1994
• Grant date: Jul 2, 1996
• Expiry date: Oct 31, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L2012/5679
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for scheduling the transmission of a number of data streams over a common communications link, where each of the data streams conforms to a corresponding set of flow control parameters. Each of the data streams to be transmitted on the communications link is stored in a corresponding queue. The status of each queue is maintained, and a target transmission time is calculated for each queue. Signals are then generated for each queue at a time at least after the target transmission time, and these signals are used to indicate to a corresponding queue that is can transmit a cell on the link. Upon reception of a corresponding signal, a queue then transmits at least one cell onto the communications link.