Method and apparatus for recovery of peak cell rate tokens in an ATM network interface
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting data cells in a network having a plurality of connections, the method comprising the steps of:
- allocating a first number of tokens to a selected one of the plurality of connections;
transmitting data cells from the selected connection at a peak cell rate while the first number of tokens is greater than zero;
decrementing the first number of tokens by one for each data cell transmitted by the selected connection at the peak cell rate;
transmitting data cells from the selected connection at a sustainable cell rate while the first number of tokens is zero, the sustainable cell rate being less than the peak cell rate; and
incrementing the first number of tokens by a variable increment during an idle period in which the selected connection does not transmit data cells, the variable increment increasing in value as the idle period increases in duration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are described for transmitting data cells in an ATM network having a plurality of connections. A first number of tokens are allocated to a selected one of the plurality of connections. Data cells are transmitted from the selected connection at a peak cell rate while the first number is greater than zero. The first number is decremented by one for each data cell transmitted by the selected connection at the peak cell rate. Data cells are then transmitted from the selected connection at a sustainable cell rate which is less than the peak cell rate while the first number is zero. The first number is incremented by a variable increment during an idle period in which the selected connection does not transmit data cells. The variable increment increases in value as the idle period increases in duration.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting data cells in a network having a plurality of connections, the method comprising the steps of:
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allocating a first number of tokens to a selected one of the plurality of connections; transmitting data cells from the selected connection at a peak cell rate while the first number of tokens is greater than zero; decrementing the first number of tokens by one for each data cell transmitted by the selected connection at the peak cell rate; transmitting data cells from the selected connection at a sustainable cell rate while the first number of tokens is zero, the sustainable cell rate being less than the peak cell rate; and incrementing the first number of tokens by a variable increment during an idle period in which the selected connection does not transmit data cells, the variable increment increasing in value as the idle period increases in duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for transmitting data cells between a plurality of connections, comprising:
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at least one switching device; a plurality of network interfaces coupled to the at least one switching device and the plurality of connections, each network interface being associated with and coupled to one of the connections, each network interface being operable to maintain a count of a number of tokens, transmit data cells from the associated connection at a peak cell rate while the first number is greater than zero, decrement the first number by one for each data cell transmitted by the associated connection at the peak cell rate, transmit data cells from the associated connection at a sustainable cell rate while the first number is zero, the sustainable cell rate being less than the peak cell rate, and increment the first number by a variable increment during an idle period in which the associated connection does not transmit data cells, the variable increment increasing in value as the idle period increases in duration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for transmitting data cells from an associated network connection, comprising:
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means for transmitting data cells from the associated connection at a peak cell rate while a number of tokens is greater than zero, and at a sustainable cell rate while the first number is zero, the sustainable cell rate being less than the peak cell rate; and means for decrementing the first number by one for each data cell transmitted from the associated connection at the peak cell rate, and incrementing the first number by a variable increment during an idle period in which the associated connection does not transmit data cells, the variable increment increasing in value as the idle period increases in duration.
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Specification