Bandwidth allocation, transmission scheduling, and congestion avoidance in broadband asynchronous transfer mode networks
First Claim
1. A communications apparatus, comprising:
- a first queuing means for receiving information packets associated with low bandwidth calls;
a second queuing means for receiving information packets associated with high bandwidth delay sensitive calls;
a third queuing means for receiving information packets associated with high bandwidth delay insensitive calls;
a multiplexing means for sequentially and cyclically drawing a predetermined number of information packets during successive service cycle time periods from each of the first, second, and third queuing means and combining those packets on a single output line; and
a variable scheduling means, associated with the third queuing means, for providing a plurality of selectable scheduling schemes for completing the high bandwidth delay insensitive calls.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wide variety of call traffic is effectively integrated in a single broadband communications network. Calls having widely differing bandwidth requirements and sensitivities to delay are handled by the network with efficient, effective, and fair bandwidth allocation and transmission scheduling. This is accomplished by classifying each call in accordance with certain signal characteristics, such as required bandwidth and sensitivity to delay. Each call class is directed to a separate queuing circuit. Some calls in certain classes, such as those associated with high-bandwidth constant bit rate services, are each directed to their own individual queuing circuits. Other calls within a class are statistically multiplexed into a single queuing circuit for that class. A multiplexing circuit operates in accordance with a dynamic time slice scheme which involves defining a service cycle time period during which the multiplexer withdraws a predetermined number of information packets from each of a plurality of queuing circuits containing information packets and places those predetermined numbers of packets onto an output link. The multiplexer breaks up the cycle time period into a plurality of time slices, each of which determines how many information packets are transmitted from each queuing circuit during the cycle time period. Efficient resource usage and congestion avoidance are further achieved by using one of a number of alternative scheduling techniques for delay insensitive traffic.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A communications apparatus, comprising:
-
a first queuing means for receiving information packets associated with low bandwidth calls; a second queuing means for receiving information packets associated with high bandwidth delay sensitive calls; a third queuing means for receiving information packets associated with high bandwidth delay insensitive calls; a multiplexing means for sequentially and cyclically drawing a predetermined number of information packets during successive service cycle time periods from each of the first, second, and third queuing means and combining those packets on a single output line; and a variable scheduling means, associated with the third queuing means, for providing a plurality of selectable scheduling schemes for completing the high bandwidth delay insensitive calls. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 22)
-
-
10. A broadband communications network, comprising:
-
a plurality of network nodes, each having at least one input and one output; a plurality of links connecting selected ones of the outputs with selected ones of the inputs; a queuing means associated with each of the links, each of the queuing means comprising; a first queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed low bandwidth calls; a second queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay sensitive and isochronous high bandwidth calls; a third queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed delay sensitive and non-isochronous high bandwidth calls; and a fourth queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay insensitive high bandwidth calls; a multiplexing means associated with each queuing means for defining a predetermined cycle time period during which the first, second, third, and fourth queuing circuits are each permitted to empty a respective predetermined number of information packets onto its respective link during respective predetermined slices of time within the predetermined cycle time period; and a variable scheduling means for providing a plurality of selectable scheduling schemes for completing the high bandwidth delay insensitive calls. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
14. A broadband communications network, comprising:
-
a plurality of network nodes, each having at least one input and one output; a plurality of links connecting selected ones of the outputs with selected ones of the inputs; a queuing means associated with each of the links, each of the queuing means comprising; a first queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed low bandwidth calls; a second queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay sensitive and isochronous high bandwidth calls; a third queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed delay sensitive and non-isochronous high bandwidth calls; and a fourth queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay insensitive high bandwidth calls; and a multiplexing means associated with each queuing means for defining a predetermined cycle time period during which the first, second, third, and fourth queuing circuits are each permitted to empty a respective, predetermined number of packets onto its respective link during respective predetermined slices of time within the predetermined cycle time period; in which at least one of the network nodes comprises; a service node having a means for storing bulk information relating to at least one delay insensitive high bandwidth call, a means for delivering the bulk information when a predetermined amount of traffic is being handled by the network, and a means for providing a predetermined bandwidth guarantee for the bulk information delivery; in which the memory is not located in customer premises equipment of a sender of the bulk information.
-
-
15. A broadband communications network, comprising:
-
a plurality of network nodes, each having at least one input and one output; a plurality of links connecting selected ones of the outputs with selected ones of the inputs; a queuing means associated with each of the links, each of the queuing means comprising; a first queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed low bandwidth calls; a second queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay sensitive and isochronous high bandwidth calls; a third queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with statistically multiplexed delay sensitive and non-isochronous high bandwidth calls; and a fourth queuing circuit for receiving information packets associated with delay insensitive high bandwidth calls; and a multiplexing means associated with each queuing means for defining a predetermined cycle time period during which the first, second, third, and fourth queuing circuits are each permitted to empty a respective predetermined number of packets onto its respective link during respective predetermined slices of time within the predetermined cycle time period; in which at least one of the network nodes comprises; means for receiving information from a sender relating to a transaction size, a delay tolerance, and a required bandwidth for a delay insensitive high bandwidth call; and means responsive to the information received from a sender for transmitting bulk information stored in customer premises equipment when a predetermined amount of traffic is being handled by the network.
-
-
19. A method of allocating bandwidth in a broadband packet-switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
-
classifying calls in the network in accordance with bandwidth, isochronicity, and delay sensitivity; queuing information packets for each call class into a respective queuing circuit; defining a service cycle time period during which a predetermined number of information packets is removed from each of the queuing circuits; removing the predetermined numbers of information packets from each of the queuing circuits during the cycle time period; and providing a plurality of scheduling schemes for completing high bandwidth delay insensitive calls. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 25)
-
-
23. A method of allocating bandwidth in a broadband packet-switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
-
classifying calls in the network in accordance with bandwidth, isochronicity, and delay sensitivity; queuing information packets for each call class into a respective queuing circuit; defining a service cycle time period during which a predetermined number of information packets is removed from each of the queuing circuits; removing the predetermined numbers of information packets from each of the queuing circuits during the cycle time period; storing at least one high-bandwidth delay insensitive call comprising bulk information in the network; and delivering that bulk information when a predetermined amount of traffic is being handled by the network with a predetermined bandwidth guarantee along a path through the network.
-
-
24. A method of allocating bandwidth in a broadband packet-switched telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:
-
classifying calls in the network in accordance with bandwidth, isochronicity, and delay sensitivity; queuing information packets for each call class into a respective queuing circuit; defining a service cycle time period during which a predetermined number of information packets is removed from each of the queuing circuits; removing the predetermined numbers of information packets from each of the queuing circuits during the cycle time period; receiving information from a sender relating to a transaction size, a delay tolerance, and a required bandwidth for a high-bandwidth delay insensitive call; and transmitting bulk information stored in customer premises equipment connected to the network in response to the information from the sender when a predetermined amount of traffic is being handled by the network.
-
Specification