FRAME SCHEDULING FOR CHANNEL BONDING

• US 20140199070A1
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shellhammer, Stephen Jay, Stupar, Patrick, Garavaglia, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0041 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/46 Interconnection of networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0096 Channel splitting in point-to-point links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/05 Electric or magnetic storage of signals before transmitting or retransmitting for changing the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0067 Provisions for optical access or distribution networks, e.g. Gigabit Ethernet Passive Optical Network (GE-PON), ATM-based Passive Optical Network (A-PON), PON-Ring

Abstract

In a method of scheduling frames, a first channel of a plurality of channels is selected for a first frame. The first frame is sent across a media-independent interface to a physical-layer device for transmission on the first channel. A data rate of the media-independent interface is greater than a data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel. After the first frame is sent across the media-independent interface, subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface is disabled for a period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling frames, comprising:

after sending a first frame across a media-independent interface to a physical-layer device for transmission on a first channel of a plurality of channels, wherein a data rate of the media-independent interface is greater than a data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel, disabling subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface for a first period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first period of time compensates for the rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending idle characters across the media-independent interface during the first period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a group of idle characters across the media-independent interface to reserve space for forward-error-correction (FEC) parity bits to be inserted into the first frame by the physical-layer device, wherein the group of idle characters does not correspond to the first period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second channel of the plurality of channels for a second frame; and

sending the second frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device during a period of time that falls within or overlaps the first period of time, wherein the physical-layer device is to transmit the second frame on the second channel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting the second channel comprises:

determining that the second frame is directed to one or more network devices that use both the first channel and the second channel; and

determining that the sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface is disabled.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after sending the second frame across the media-independent interface, disabling subsequent sending of frames for the second channel across the media-independent interface for a second period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the second channel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the data rate of the physical-layer device for the second channel is distinct from the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel; and

the second period of time has a duration distinct from a duration of the first period of time.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting a third channel of the plurality of channels for a third frame; and

sending the third frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device during a period of time that falls within or overlaps the first period of time and the second period of time, wherein the physical-layer device is to transmit the third frame on the third channel.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the first channel of the plurality of channels for the first frame;

sending the first frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device for transmission on the first channel;

before sending the first frame across the media-independent interface, verifying that an index for the first channel satisfies a predefined criterion;

wherein the disabling comprises adding a value corresponding to the first period of time to the index for the first channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the verifying comprises comparing the index for the first channel to a time index.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before sending the first frame across the media-independent interface, verifying that a counter for the first channel satisfies a predefined criterion;

wherein the disabling comprises adding a value corresponding to the first period of time to the counter for the first channel.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frame is a unicast frame.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the first channel of the plurality of channels for the first frame; and

sending the first frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device for transmission on the first channel, wherein;

the first frame is one of a multicast frame and a broadcast frame directed to one of a multicast group and a broadcast group of network devices, respectively; and

selecting the first channel for the first frame comprises determining that the network devices of the multicast or broadcast group use the first channel.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels further comprises a second channel for which a data rate of the physical-layer device is less than the data rate of the media-independent interface, the method further comprising:

duplicating one of a multicast frame and a broadcast frame directed to one of a multicast group and a broadcast group of network devices, respectively, to produce first and second copies of the multicast or broadcast frame, wherein a first portion of the multicast or broadcast group uses the first channel and excludes use of the second channel and wherein a second portion of the multicast or broadcast group uses the second channel and excludes use of the first channel;

selecting the first channel for the first copy and the second channel for the second copy;

sending the first copy across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device for transmission on the first channel;

after sending the first copy across the media-independent interface, disabling subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface for a period of time that is based at least in part on the rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel;

sending the second copy across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device for transmission on the second channel; and

after sending the second copy across the media-independent interface, disabling subsequent sending of frames for the second channel across the media-independent interface for a period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the second channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second copy is sent across the media-independent interface while the sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface is disabled.

17. A system, comprising:

a physical-layer device to transmit frames on respective channels of a plurality of channels, the physical-layer device having respective data rates for the respective channels;

a media-independent interface to provide the frames to the physical-layer device; and

a scheduler to schedule sending of the frames across the media-independent to the physical-layer device, wherein;

the scheduler is to select respective channels for respective frames; and

for each channel, the scheduler is to disable sending of frames for the channel across the media-independent interface for a period of time after a frame for the channel is sent across the media-independent interface, wherein the period of time is based at least in part on rate adaption from a data rate of the media-independent interface to a data rate of the physical-layer device for the channel.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the scheduler is to select a first channel of the plurality of channels for a first frame and, after the first frame is sent across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device, to disable subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface for a first period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel; and

the scheduler is further to select a second channel of the plurality of channels for a second frame and to schedule sending of the second frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device during a period of time that falls within or overlaps the first period of time, wherein the physical-layer device is to transmit the second frame on the second channel.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein, to select the second channel for the second frame, the scheduler is to determine that the second frame is directed to one or more network devices that use both the first channel and the second channel and to determine that the sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface is disabled.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the scheduler is further to disable subsequent sending of frames for the second channel across the media-independent interface for a second period of time after sending the second frame across the media-independent interface, wherein the second period of time is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the second channel.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the scheduler comprises a plurality of counters, each corresponding to a respective channel of the plurality of channels; and

the scheduler is to verify that a respective counter satisfies a predefined criterion before scheduling a frame for a channel corresponding to the respective counter to be sent across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions to select a first channel of a plurality of channels for a first frame;

instructions to send the first frame across a media-independent interface to a physical-layer device for transmission on the first channel, wherein a data rate of the media-independent interface is greater than a data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel; and

instructions to disable subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface for a first period of time after sending the first frame across the media-independent interface, wherein the first period of time is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the first channel.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs further comprise:

instructions to select a second channel of the plurality of channels for a second frame; and

instructions to send the second frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device during a period of time that falls within or overlaps the first period of time, wherein the physical-layer device is to transmit the second frame on the second channel.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions to select the second channel for the second frame comprise:

instructions to determine that the second frame is directed to one or more network devices that use both the first channel and the second channel; and

instructions to determine that the sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface is disabled.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the one or more programs further comprise:

instructions to disable subsequent sending of frames for the second channel across the media-independent interface for a second period of time after sending the second frame across the media-independent interface, wherein the second period of time is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the media-independent interface to the data rate of the physical-layer device for the second channel.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to verify that a counter for the first channel satisfies a predefined criterion before sending the first frame across the media-independent interface to the physical-layer device.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions to disable subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the media-independent interface for the first period of time comprise instructions to add a value corresponding to the first period of time to the counter for the first channel.

28. A system, comprising:

a first means for transmitting frames on respective channels of a plurality of channels at respective data rates;

a second means for providing the frames to the first means; and

a third means for scheduling sending of the frames across the second means to the first means, the scheduling comprising;

selecting respective channels for respective frames; and

for each channel, disabling sending of frames for the channel across the second means for a period of time after a frame for the channel is sent across the second means, wherein the period of time is based at least in part on rate adaption from a data rate of the second means to a data rate of the first means for the channel.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein:

the third means comprises means for selecting a first channel of the plurality of channels for a first frame and, after the first frame is sent across the second means to the first means, for disabling subsequent sending of frames for the first channel across the second means for a first period of time that is based at least in part on rate adaption from the data rate of the second means to the data rate of the first means for the first channel; and

the third means further comprises means for selecting a second channel of the plurality of channels for a second frame and for scheduling sending of the second frame across the second means to the first means during a period of time that falls within or overlaps the first period of time.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for selecting the second channel for the second frame comprises means for determining that the second frame is directed to one or more network devices that use both the first channel and the second channel and for determining that the sending of frames for the first channel across the second means is disabled.