Management of free space in an ATM virtual connection parameter table
US6396838B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 28, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/30
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Port cards in an ATM switch store parameters for virtual channel connections (VCCs) and virtual path connections (VPCs) in separate areas of a virtual connection parameter table (VCPT), the areas being defined by a VCC pointer and a VPC pointer. Also, a number of “free lists” are used to identify unused single locations (for VPCs) or chunks of locations (for sets of VCCs) that are available for re-allocation. Different free lists are used for different-sized sets of VCCs, i.e., sets configured to use different maximum numbers of VCI bits. When a new VPC is created, a VCPT location identified by an entry in the VPC free list is allocated, if such an entry exists. Otherwise a VCPT location is allocated by advancing the VPC pointer. De-allocation of a VPC entry proceeds in reverse order, i.e., the VPC area is shrunk by backing up the VPC pointer if possible, and if not the de-allocated entry is placed on the VPC free list. Similar allocation and de-allocation processes are used for newly-created VCCs, using the VCC free list appropriate based on the maximum number of VCCs that may be in the set of VCCs. A consolidation technique further backs up the VCC pointer when possib…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.