Method for managing a plurality of virtual links shared on a communication line and network implementing the method
First Claim
1. A method of managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit, the communication line having a total bit width which is the number of physical single bit wide connections between the first and second units, the method comprising:
- establishing a first situation in which the total bit width of the communication line is at least partly occupied by a first group of one or more virtual links, configuring a second situation in which a first portion of the total bit width is allocated to a first group of one or more virtual links and a second portion of the total bit width is allocated to a second group of one or more virtual links, the second portion not overlapping the first portion, and switching from the first situation to the second situation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, a method for managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit is disclosed. The method comprises establishing a first situation in which the total bit width of the communication line is at least partly occupied by a first group of virtual links. The method further comprises configuring a second situation in which a first portion of the total bit width is allocated to the first group of virtual links and a second portion of the total bit width is allocated to a second group of virtual links. The method further comprises switching from the first situation to the second situation. In another aspect, a digital network includes a control unit for managing the sharing of the plurality of virtual links on the physical communication line according to a predetermined switching granularity m, which is smaller than the bit width n of the input and output ports of the units.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit, the communication line having a total bit width which is the number of physical single bit wide connections between the first and second units, the method comprising:
-
establishing a first situation in which the total bit width of the communication line is at least partly occupied by a first group of one or more virtual links, configuring a second situation in which a first portion of the total bit width is allocated to a first group of one or more virtual links and a second portion of the total bit width is allocated to a second group of one or more virtual links, the second portion not overlapping the first portion, and switching from the first situation to the second situation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A digital network comprising:
-
a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit, the communication line having a total bit width which is the number of physical single bit wide connections between the first and second units, and a control unit for managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on the physical communication line according to a predetermined switching granularity m which is the smallest number of single bit wide connections allocatable to a group of virtual links, wherein the first and second units having a plurality of input ports and output ports whose bit width is at least n, the switching granularity m being smaller than n. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A digital network comprising:
-
a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit, the communication line having a total bit width which is the number of physical single bit wide connections between the first and second units; and
means for managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on the physical communication line according to a predetermined switching granularity m which is the smallest number of single bit wide connections allocatable to a group of virtual links, the first and second units having a plurality of input ports and output ports whose bit width is at least n, the switching granularity m being smaller than n.
-
-
15. A method of managing a plurality of virtual links from at least two different sources shared on a physical communication line extending between a first unit and a second unit, the communication line having a total bit width which is the number of physical single bit wide connections between the first and second units, the method comprising:
allocating a portion of the total bit width to each group of one or more virtual links respectively, wherein the portions are not overlapping. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification