Arbitration apparatus employing token ring for arbitrating between active jobs
US5890001A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 21, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/3018
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Arbitration apparatus is described for arbitrating between a number of jobs, for example for distributing message traffic over a data transmission network. The arbitration apparatus comprises an activity register containing a number of activity bits indicating which of a number of transmission jobs is currently active. The apparatus also includes a two-tier token ring arrangement comprising an outer ring and a number of inner rings. Each ring consists of a number of registers, holding a token which is passed cyclically around the ring. Each register has a bypass path which bypasses the register if a corresponding job or group of jobs is inactive. The positions of the tokens in the rings determines which job is to be scheduled next. Each ring also includes a keeper register for preserving the token if all the jobs are inactive.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.