TH73317A - Outbound methods and systems for scheduling network processors that use a line queue to disconnect / reconnect. - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60 (17/05/44) A system and method for moving units of information from network processors to a prioritized network that facilitates services at different levels. This invention incorporates a method and system for scheduling the exit of units (frames) of information processed from network processors to different priorities associated with various sources of information. The desired priorities would incorporate low-latency services, minimum bandwidth, fair queuing based on weights, and a system for preventing users from overloading their services over extended periods. This invention incorporates more than one calendar with different service rates so that users can select their preferred service rate. If a customer selects a high bandwidth service, that customer will be included in the calendar and will be served more frequently than if a customer selects a lower bandwidth service. A system and method for moving units of information from network processors. This invention describes a prioritized data transmission network that facilitates services at different levels. It incorporates methods and systems for scheduling the output of information frames processed by network processing units according to stored priorities associated with various information sources. The desired priorities include low-latency services, minimum bandwidth, weighted fair queuing, and systems to prevent users from overloading their services over extended periods. The invention incorporates multiple calendars with different service rates so that users can select their preferred rate. If a customer selects a high bandwidth service, they will be included in the calendar and served more frequently than if they selected a lower bandwidth service.

Claims (7)

1. A set of devices comprising: a time-based calendar that manages the units of information sent through the communication system from more than one source to more than one destination, based on stored information about those multiple sources; a time-independent calendar that manages other units of information sent through the communication system from more than one source to more than one destination, based on stored information about those multiple sources; and a timer that generates periodic signals to move a single unit of information from one of the various calendars to the output destination, where that single unit of information has been selected based on stored rules. 2. A suite of equipment compliant with claim 1, whereby a time-independent calendar shall control and manage the lines of information, queue each line, and move lines to different positions in the queue after serving such and subsequent lines, shall include a mechanism for determining whether a line has a position in the time calendar and for preventing a line with such a position in the time calendar from obtaining a better position in the time calendar as a result of disconnection and reconnection. 3. A set of devices compliant with Claim 1 in which the time-independent calendar controls the lines of information, queues each line, provides a sequence of frames awaiting movement, and determines the weight and sizing factors for each frame, and a mechanism that recalculates the position for each line after a frame has been moved by the time-independent calendar based on the weight and sizing factors of the frame. 4. The method for processing data in a communication network device consists of the following steps: arranging data streams into queues for self-service as information passes through the communication system from more than one source to more than one destination; determining whether a data stream already has a pre-existing address in the queue; if a pre-existing address is present, determining whether the new address to be assigned is more useful than the previous one; if the new address is more useful, stream management is performed using the previous address; and if the previous address is not more useful than the new address, stream management is performed using the new address. 5. The method for processing data in a communication network device consists of the following steps: queuing data into various queues for self-service as messages pass through the communication system from more than one source to more than one destination; receiving priority information about each message ready for supervision; placing each message ready for supervision into one of the prioritized queues based on the priority information associated with that message, where one queue is time-dependent and another is time-independent; selecting one of the queues for each consecutive clock cycle for supervision based on a set of stored rules; selecting a message for each clock cycle from the selected queue for supervision based on an algorithm; and forwarding the selected message to its destination. 6. The method for processing data in a communication network device under claim 5, whereby the procedure for selecting a message unit for each clock cycle from a queue chosen for supervision based on the algorithm described below, shall consist of selection from a weighted fair queue and recalculation of the position in the weighted fair queue based on the size of the message unit and the weighting factors for the selected unit. 7. The method for processing data in a communication network device consists of steps such as: arranging data streams into queues for self-service as the message passes through the communication system from more than one source to more than one destination; deciding whether to allow peak outgoing transmission by the data stream based on various stored rules, including: calculating the initial credit for the data stream; adding time path credits when the data stream rate remains below the defined start point for that data stream; removing time path credits when the data stream rate is above that start point; and using the credit value to determine whether peak outgoing transmission will occur at any given time.