Method to assign upstream timeslots to a network terminal and medium access controller for performing such a method

• US 6,424,656 B1
• Filed: 05/04/1999
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoebeke, Rudy
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/304,984
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/231, 370/232, 370/235, 370/395.1, 370/395.7, 370/395.71, 370/395.72, 370/412, 370/389, 370/428, 370/429, 370/468
• US Class Current: 370/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40006 Architecture of a communication node current supply arrangements H04L12/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4015 by scheduling the transmission of messages at the communication node
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5632 Bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5638 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

Upstream timeslots are assigned to a network terminal in a time division multiplexed communications network, by means of queue grants, each of these queue grants corresponding to a storage queue within said network terminal and associated with a particular service category. The rate of the queue grant bitstream composed of succeeding occurrences of these queue grants is thereby determined from at least one parameter of a parameter set associated to the corresponding storage queue and from at least one other parameter of at least one other parameter set associated to at least one other storage queue within any of the network terminals within the communications network. The present invention relates as well to a medium access controller adapted to perform the method, to a central station including such a medium access controller and to a network terminal including these storage queues.

Claims

1. Method to assign upstream timeslots to a network terminal (ONUi) of a first plurality of network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) in a communications network wherein a central station (CS) is coupled to said plurality of network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) via the cascade connection of a common transmission link (L) and respective individual network terminal links (L1, . . . , Li, . . . , Ln) and wherein said network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . ONUn) are adapted to transmit upstream data packets to said central station (CS) in a time multiplexed way over said common transmission link (L) using said upstream time slots, which are assigned to said network terminals by means of a downstream bitstream (BSG) of network terminal grants, said downstream bitstream being generated by a medium access controller (MAC) included within said communications network,

characterised in that

within said network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) said upstream data packets are classified in accordance to their associated service categories and temporarily stored in a second plurality of storage queues, each respective storage queue of said second plurality being related to a respective one of said service categories (1, . . . , i . . . , m),

a grant (GONUi), associated to said network terminal (ONUi), includes a third plurality of queue grants (GONUi1, . . . , GONUij, . . . , GONUim) each associated to a respective storage queue (ONUiQ1, . . . , ONUiQj, ONUiQj) within said network terminal (ONUi),

whereby a queue grant (GONUij) of said third plurality is enabling said network terminal (ONUi) to transfer a predetermined amount of upstream data packets from its corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj),

and whereby the rate (GRij) of the queue grant bitstream composed of succeeding occurrences of said queue grants (GONUij), is determined from at least one parameter (Pij) of a parameter set (Sij) associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj), and from at least one other parameter (P1m) of at least one other parameter set (S1m) associated to at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) within any of said network terminals within said communications network.

2. Method according to claim 1

characterised in that

said at least one other storage queue is included within said network terminal (ONUi).

3. Method according to claim 1

characterised in that

said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) is included in at least one other network terminal (ONU1) of said plurality of network terminals.

4. Method according to claim 1

characterised in that

said parameter set (Sij) associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) includes traffic and connection parameters (TCPij) related to the data packets stored in said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj), and a status parameter (STij) related to the status of said corresponding storage queue,

said at least one parameter set (S1m) associated to said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) includes traffic and connection parameters (TCP1m) related to data packets stored in said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) and at least one status parameter (ST1m) related to the status of said at least one other storage queue.

5. Method according to claim 1

said at least one parameter (Pij) is upstream communicated to said medium access controller (MAC) by said network terminal (ONUi) by means of a corresponding upstream queue request message (QRMij).

said at least one other parameter (P1m) is upstream communicated to said medium access controller (MAC) by the at least one other network terminal (ONU1) including said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm), by means of at least one other queue request message (QRM1m).

6. Method according to claim 5

characterised in that

for said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of storage queues, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj)

for said status parameter (STij) of said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other status parameter (ST1m) of said at least one other storage queue constituting a group of status parameters, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj),

said method includes a step of determining a subgroup of storage queues within said group of storage queues, based on all status parameters of said group of status parameters, said subgroup thereby comprising storage queues of said group of storage queues for which said status parameters respond to a predetermined criterion.

7. Method according to claim 5

characterised in that

for said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of storage queues, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj)

for said status parameter (STij) of said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other status parameter (ST1m) of said at least one other storage queue constituting a group of status parameters, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj),

said method includes a step of determining, for all status parameters within said group of status parameters, status related parameters, said method further includes a next step of determining a subgroup of storage queues within said group of storage queues, based on all of said status related parameters, said subgroup thereby comprising storage queues of said group of storage queues for which said status related parameters respond to a predetermined criterion.

8. Method according to claim 6

characterised in that

said method includes a step of checking whether said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) belongs to said subgroup, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj).

9. Method according to claim 8

characterised in that

in case said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) belongs to said subgroup, said rate (GRij) of said queue grant bitstream is dependent on a proportional part of an excess bandwidth.

10. Method according to claim 9

characterised in that

said excess bandwidth is determined from the values of said at least one of the parameters of each parameter set associated to each storage queue of said subgroup.

11. Method according to claim 10

characterised in that

said proportional part is determined from the values of said at least one of the parameters of each parameter set associated to each storage queue of said subgroup.

12. Method according to claim 11

characterised in that

said method is performed at predetermined instances.

13. Network terminal (ONUi) of a communications network wherein a central station (CS) is coupled to a first plurality of network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) including said network terminal (QNUi), via the cascade connection of a common transmission link (L) and respective individual network terminal links(L1, . . . , Li, . . . , Ln)

said network terminal (ONUi) being adapted to detect an associated grant (GONUi) within a downstream bitstream of network terminal grants (BSG) transmitted from a medium access controller (MAC) included in said communications network, to said network terminals (ONU1, . . . , QNUi, . . . , QNUn)

said network terminal (QNUi) being further adapted to transmit a predetermined amount of said upstream data packets to said central station (CS) upon detecting of said associated grant (GONUi),

characterised in that

said network terminal (ONUi) includes sorting means (SMi) adapted to classify said upstream data packets in accordance to their associated service category, said sorting means (SMi) including a plurality of output terminals, each of which is coupled to a respective storage queue of a second plurality of storage queues (ONUiQ1, . . . , ONUiQj, . . . , ONUiQj) included within said network terminal (ONUi), each storage queue of said second plurality being related to a respective one of said service categories (1, . . . , j, . . . , m), and adapted to temporarily store sorted data packets delivered by said sorting means (SMi)

said network terminal (ONUi) further includes detecting means (DMi) adapted to discriminate within said bitstream of grants, respective queue grants of a third plurality (GONUi1, . . . , GONUij, . . . , GONUim), each respective queue grant being associated to a respective storage queue of said second plurality (ONUiQ1, . . . , ONUiQj, . . . , ONUiQj), said detecting means being further adapted to, upon detecting of a respective queue grant (GONUij) of said third plurality, generate a respective control signal to the corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj)

said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) is thereby adapted to transmit, upon receipt of said respective control signal, a predetermined amount of said upstream information packets, to said central station (CS).

14. Network terminal (ONUi) according to claim 13

characterised in that

said network terminal (ONUi) further includes request generating means (Ri) which is adapted to determine, for at least one of said storage queues (ONUiQj), at least one associated parameter (Pij) and to transmit said at least one associated parameter to said medium access controller (MAC) by means of a corresponding upstream queue request message (QRMij) being an output signal of said request generating means (Ri).

15. Network terminal (ONUi) according to claim 14

characterised in that

said at least one associated parameter (Pij) associated to said at least one storage queue (ONUiQj) consists of traffic and connection parameters (TCPij) associated to the data packets stored within said at least one storage queue (ONUiQj).

16. Network terminal according to claim 14

characterised in that

said at least one associated parameter (Pij) associated to a respective storage queue (ONUiQj) consists of a status parameter (STij) related to the status of said respective storage queue (ONUiQj).

17. Medium access controller (MAC) of a communications network wherein a central station (CS) is coupled to a first plurality of network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) via the cascade connection of a common transmission link (L) and respective individual network terminal links (L1, . . . , Li, . . . , Ln) and wherein said network terminals (ONU1, . . . , ONUi, . . . , ONUn) are adapted to transmit upstream data packets to said central station (CS) in a time multiplexed way over said common transmission link using time slots, said medium access controller (MAC) including

grant generation means (GGM) adapted to determine a downstream bitstream of network terminal grants (BSG) and to transmit said bitstream to said network terminals of said first plurality,

characterised in that

said grant generation means (GGM) is further adapted to generate at least one network terminal grant as a third plurality of queue grants (GONUi1, . . . , GONUij, . . . , GONUim) each queue grant of said third plurality being associated to a respective storage queue (ONUiQ1, . . . , ONUiQj, . . . , ONUiQj) within at least one network terminal (ONUi) associated to said at least one network terminal grant (GONUi),

said grant generation means (GGM) thereby includes calculating means (ARC) adapted to determine the rate (GRij) of succeeding occurrences of a queue grant (GONUij) of said third plurality, from at least one parameter (Pij) of a parameter set (Sij) associated to a corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) to said queue grant (GONUij), and from at least one other parameter (P1m) of at least one other parameter set (S1m) associated to at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) within any of said network terminals within said communications network .

18. Medium access controller according to claim 17

characterised in that

said medium access controller (MAC) further includes extraction means (EM) adapted to extract, from at least one corresponding upstream queue request message (QRMij), and respectively from at least one other upstream queue request message (QRM1m), said at least one parameter (Pij) of said parameter set (Sij) associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj), and respectively said at least one other parameter (P1m) of said at least one other parameter set (S1m) associated to said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm), and to deliver said at least one parameter (Pij), and respectively said at least one other parameter (P1m) as output signals of said extraction means (EM).

19. Medium access controller according to claim 17

characterised in that

said parameter set (Sij) associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) includes traffic and connection parameters (TCPij) related to data packets stored in said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and a status parameter (STij) related to the status of said corresponding storage queue,

said at least one other parameter set (S1m)) associated to said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) includes traffic and connection parameters (TCP1m) related to data packets stored in said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) and at least one status parameter (ST1m) related to the status of said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm).

20. Medium access controller according to claim 18

characterised in that

said at least one, respectively said at least one other, queue request message includes said at least one, respectively said at least one other status parameter,

for said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of storage queues, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj)

for said status parameter (STij) of said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other status parameter (ST1m) of said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of status parameters, associated to said corresponding storage queue

an input terminal of said calculation means (ARC) is coupled to an output terminal of said extraction means (EM), said calculation means is thereby adopted to receive all status parameters (Sij,S1m) of said group (ONUiQj,ONU1Qm) and to determine therefrom a subgroup constituting of storage queues within said group of storage queues for which said status parameters respond to a predetermined criterion.

21. Medium access controller according to claim 18

characterised in that

said at least one, respectively said at least one other, queue request message includes said at least one, respectively said at least one other status parameter,

for said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of storage queues, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj)

for said status parameter (STij) of said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) and said at least one other status parameter (ST1m) of said at least one other storage queue (ONU1Qm) constituting a group of status parameters, associated to said corresponding storage queue

an input terminal of said calculation means (ARC) is coupled to an output terminal of said extraction means (EM), said calculation means is thereby adapted to receive all status parameters (Sij,S1m) of said group (ONUiQj,ONU1Qm), to determine therefrom status related parameters, and to determine from said status related parameters a subgroup constituting of storage queues within said group of storage queues for which said status related parameters respond to a predetermined criterion.

22. Medium access controller according to claim 21

characterised in that

said calculation means (ARC) includes counter means (CM), adapted to determine from said status parameters of said group, said status related parameters of said group.

23. Medium access controller according to claim 20

characterised in that

said calculating means (ARC) is further adapted to determine whether said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj) belongs to said subgroup, associated to said corresponding storage queue (ONUiQj).

24. Medium access controller according to claim 23

characterised in that

in case said corresponding storage queue belongs to said subgroup, said calculating means (ARC) is further adapted to calculate said rate (GRij) of said succeeding occurrences of said queue grant (GONUij) to be dependent on a proportional part of an excess bandwidth.

25. Medium access controller according to claim 24

characterised in that

said calculating means (ARC) is further adapted to determine said excess bandwidth from the values of said at least one of the parameters of each parameter set associated to each storage queue of said subgroup.

26. Medium access controller according to claim 25

characterised in that

said calculating means is further adapted to determine said proportional part of said excess bandwidth from the values of said at least one of the parameters of each parameter set associated to each storage queue of said subgroup.

27. Medium access controller according claim 17

characterised in that

said medium access controller is included in said central station (CS).