Method for allocating a bandwidth between network terminals in a communication network and network including a medium access controller for performing such a method
First Claim
1. Method for allocating a bandwidth (BW) between a plurality of network terminals (NTx) coupled, via a common link, to a main network station (LT) in a communication network including a medium access controller (MC) with a guarantee counter (Gx) for each dependent terminal, a determined guarantee increment (IncGx) and a determined guarantee maximum (MaxGx) being defined for each guarantee counter and a guarantee stack (GS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, each permit containing a network terminal identifier and corresponding to a predetermined share of bandwidth, said method including for defining permits a first step by:
- updating the current value of each guarantee counter (Gx) by adding the corresponding guarantee increment (IncGx);
stacking a permit in the guarantee stack (GS) and diminishing the current value of a guarantee counter (Gx) with the guarantee maximum (MaxGx), if this current value exceeds the guarantee maximum (MaxGx);
said method being characterised in that the medium access controller (MC) includes also a fair counter (Fx) for each dependant terminal with a determined fair increment (IncFx) and a fair maximum (MaxFx) defined for each fair counter, and a fair stack (FS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, and in that said method also includes the following two steps for defining and forwarding permits;
a second step by;
updating the current value of each fair counter (Fx) by adding the corresponding increment (IncFx);
stacking a permit in the fair stack (FS) and diminishing the current value of a fair counter (Fx) with the fair maximum (MaxFx), if this current value exceeds the fair maximum (MaxGx) a third step to forward a permit by;
forwarding an idle permit, if the guarantee stack (GS) and the fair stack (FS) are both empty;
extracting a permit from the fair stack (FS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is empty and the fair stack (FS) is not empty;
extracting a permit from the guarantee stack (GS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is not empty.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for allocating a bandwidth between a plurality of network terminals (NTx) coupled, via a common link (L), to a main network station (LT) in a communication network.
A medium access controller (MC) forwards permits to the network terminals, each permit containing a terminal identifier and allowing a predetermined share of bandwidth. It comprises two sets of counters, each set including one counter (Gx or Fx) for each terminal. The bandwidth is split into a guarantee bandwidth that is shared by operating the first set of counters and an excess bandwidth that is shared by operating the second set of counters. The guaranteed bandwidth is allocated according to fixed weights, and the excess bandwidth is also allocated according to weights. The weights for the excess bandwidth are either fixed or varying according to the load status of the terminals.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Method for allocating a bandwidth (BW) between a plurality of network terminals (NTx) coupled, via a common link, to a main network station (LT) in a communication network including a medium access controller (MC) with a guarantee counter (Gx) for each dependent terminal, a determined guarantee increment (IncGx) and a determined guarantee maximum (MaxGx) being defined for each guarantee counter and a guarantee stack (GS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, each permit containing a network terminal identifier and corresponding to a predetermined share of bandwidth, said method including for defining permits
a first step by: -
updating the current value of each guarantee counter (Gx) by adding the corresponding guarantee increment (IncGx);
stacking a permit in the guarantee stack (GS) and diminishing the current value of a guarantee counter (Gx) with the guarantee maximum (MaxGx), if this current value exceeds the guarantee maximum (MaxGx);
said method being characterised in that the medium access controller (MC) includes also a fair counter (Fx) for each dependant terminal with a determined fair increment (IncFx) and a fair maximum (MaxFx) defined for each fair counter, and a fair stack (FS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, and in that said method also includes the following two steps for defining and forwarding permits;
a second step by;
updating the current value of each fair counter (Fx) by adding the corresponding increment (IncFx);
stacking a permit in the fair stack (FS) and diminishing the current value of a fair counter (Fx) with the fair maximum (MaxFx), if this current value exceeds the fair maximum (MaxGx) a third step to forward a permit by;
forwarding an idle permit, if the guarantee stack (GS) and the fair stack (FS) are both empty;
extracting a permit from the fair stack (FS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is empty and the fair stack (FS) is not empty;
extracting a permit from the guarantee stack (GS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is not empty. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A communication network including a main network station (LT) coupled to a plurality of network terminals (NTx), through a common link (L), and a medium access controller (MC) for bandwidth allocation between network terminals on the common link, said medium access controller including counters and stacks for allocating and forwarding permits to network terminals, each permit containing a terminal identifier and corresponding to a predetermined share of bandwidth, said medium access controller (MC) comprising:
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a guarantee counter (Gx) for each network terminals, with a determined guarantee increment (IncGx) and a determined guarantee maximum (MaxGx) for each guarantee counter, a guarantee stack (GS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals programmed means for defining permits according to the following first step;
said first step including;
updating the current value of each guarantee counter (Gx) by adding the corresponding guarantee increment (IncGx);
stacking a permit in the guarantee stack (GS) and diminishing the current value of a guarantee counter (Gx) with the guarantee maximum (MaxGx), if this current value exceeds the guarantee maximum (MaxGx);
said network being characterised in that the medium access controller also comprises;
a fair counter (Fx) for each network terminal with a fair increment (IncFx) and a fair maximum (MaxFx) for each fair counter, and a fair stack (FS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, programmed means for defining and forwarding permits by including also the following two steps;
a second step by;
updating the current value of each fair counter (Fx) by adding the corresponding increment (IncFx) stacking a permit in the fair stack (FS) and diminishing the current value of a fair counter (Fx) with the fair maximum (MaxFx), if this current value exceeds the fair maximum (MaxFx);
a third step to forward a permit by;
forwarding an idle permit, if the guarantee stack (GS) and the fair stack (FS) are both empty;
extracting a permit from the fair stack (FS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is empty and the fair stack (FS) is not empty;
extracting a permit from the guarantee stack (GS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is not empty. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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14. A medium access controller for a communication network including a main network station (LT) coupled to a plurality of network terminals (NTx), through a common link (L), and a medium access controller (MC) for bandwidth allocation between network terminals on the common link, said medium access controller including counters and stacks for allocating and forwarding permits to network terminals, each permit containing a terminal identifier and corresponding to a predetermined share of bandwidth, said medium access controller (MC) comprising
a guarantee counter (Gx) for each network terminal, with a determined guarantee increment (IncGx) and a determined guarantee maximum (MaxGx) for each guarantee counter, a guarantee stack (GS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals programmed means for defining permits according to the following first step: -
said first step including;
updating the current value of each guarantee counter (Gx) by adding the corresponding guarantee increment (IncGx);
stacking a permit in the guarantee stack (GS) and diminishing the current value of a guarantee counter (Gx) with the guarantee maximum (MaxGx), if this current value exceeds the guarantee maximum (MaxGx);
said medium access controller being characterised in that it also comprises;
a fair counter (Fx) for each network terminal with a fair increment (IncFx) and a fair maximum (MaxFx) for each fair counter, and a fair stack (FS) for storing permits to be forwarded to the network terminals, programmed means for defining and forwarding permits by including also the following steps;
a second step by;
updating the current value of each fair counter (Fx) by adding the corresponding increment (IncFx);
stacking a permit in the fair stack (FS) and diminishing the current value of a fair counter (Fx) with the fair maximum (MaxFx), if this current value exceeds the fair maximum (MaxFx);
a third step to forward a permit by;
forwarding an idle permit, if the guarantee stack (GS) and the fair stack (FS) are both empty;
extracting a permit from the fair stack (FS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is empty and the fair stack (FS) is not empty;
extracting a permit from the guarantee stack (GS) and forwarding it, if the guarantee stack (GS) is not empty.
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Specification