Methods for flexibly allocating bandwidth for a point-to-point serial, bidirectional communication path
First Claim
1. A method of allocating bandwidth on each of a plurality of data paths in a digital communication switching system that has a switching granularity of "x" bits per second, wherein each of said data paths has a bandwidth divided into "m" slots, the slots each being subdivided into "n" fragments, each x bits per second wide, comprising the steps of:
- (a) inputting a bandwidth allocation parameter, to bandwidth allocation control means, to specify a particular fragment allocation rule predefined to correspond to said bandwidth allocation parameter; and
(b) allocating bandwidth, via said bandwidth allocation control means, in integer multiples of x bits per second in accordance with the predefined allocation rule specified by said bandwidth allocation parameter.
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Abstract
Methods are set forth which provide for the allocation of bandwidth for point-to-point, serial, bidirectional communication paths in a digital switching system. Bandwidth allocation is performed at both ends of a path (e.g. T1 line, IML, etc.) and may take place in either direction. Furthermore, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the Bandwidth Allocation Facility (BAF) at each end of a given path allocates bandwidth in integer multiples of maximum switching system granularity. The BAF also supports the implementation of user requests for any one of a plurality of allocation and boundary rules. To minimize the probability of contention and out of band signalling between the BAF pair associated with a given path, a front-to-back search mechanism is assigned for one BAF of the pair, while the other BAF utilizes a back-to-front search mechanism. In this way contention occurs only when a path'"'"'s capacity nears exhaustion while uneven loading (one side of the path versus the other) is accommodated. Further yet, methods are set forth which support rapid deallocation of bandwidth and status reporting.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of allocating bandwidth on each of a plurality of data paths in a digital communication switching system that has a switching granularity of "x" bits per second, wherein each of said data paths has a bandwidth divided into "m" slots, the slots each being subdivided into "n" fragments, each x bits per second wide, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting a bandwidth allocation parameter, to bandwidth allocation control means, to specify a particular fragment allocation rule predefined to correspond to said bandwidth allocation parameter; and (b) allocating bandwidth, via said bandwidth allocation control means, in integer multiples of x bits per second in accordance with the predefined allocation rule specified by said bandwidth allocation parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of allocating bandwidth on each of a plurality of data paths in a digital communication switching system that has a switching granularity of "x" bits per second, wherein each of said data paths has a bandwidth divided into "m" slots, the slots each being subdivided into "n" fragments, each x bits per second wide, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting at least one bandwidth allocation parameter to bandwidth allocation control means to specify a particular fragment allocation rule predefined to correspond to each bandwidth allocation parameter; and (b) allocating bandwidth, via said bandwidth control means, in integer multiples of said granularity for each and every bandwidth request. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of allocating bandwidth on each of a plurality of data paths in a digital communication switching system that has a switching granularity of "x" bits per second, wherein each of said data paths has a bandwidth divided into "m" slots, the slots each being subdivided into "n" fragments, each x bits per second wide, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting at least one bandwidth allocation parameter to bandwidth allocation control means to specify a particular fragment allocation rule predefined to correspond to each bandwidth allocation parameter; (b) allocating bandwidth, via said bandwidth control means, in integer multiples of said granularity for each and every bandwidth request; (c) determining, via said bandwidth allocation control means based on the bandwidth allocation parameter input thereto, whether any combination of the n×
m fragments may be used to fulfill a particular bandwidth request, whether contiguous fragments must be assigned to a particular bandwidth request, whether fragments to fulfill a particular bandwidth request must come from one of said m slots, and whether fragments to fulfill a particular bandwidth request must be contiguous and come from one of said m slots.
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Specification