System and method for estimating cell rate in an ATM network

• US 6,741,565 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wicklund, Rolf Göran
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory B
• Application Number:
  US09/611,337
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/232-234, 370/236.1, 370/253, 370/395.1, 370/395.51, 370/395.52
• US Class Current: 370/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5602 Bandwidth control in ATM Networks, e.g. leaky bucket
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5631 Resource management and allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5635 Backpressure, e.g. for ABR
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5636 Monitoring or policing, e.g. compliance with allocated rate, corrective actions
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A method/system for estimating cell rate is provided. The cell rate to be reported to an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) source may be estimated using a previously calculated cell rate parameter weighted in a manner dependent upon whether a rate for the connection is high or low. An averaging parameter may be adjusted for each calculation so that for low rate connections newly measured data is more heavily weighted, and for high rate connections newly measured data is less heavily weighted. Relatively accurate and quick estimates for both high bandwidth and low bandwidth connections are achievable.

Claims

1. A method of calculating an estimated cell for a connection, the method comprising:

receiving a cell on the connection;

adjusting an averaging parameter so that a value of the averaging parameter is a function of cell rate;

estimating a cell rate for the connection using the value of the adjusted averaging parameter;

wherein said adjusting includes adjusting the averaging parameter so that the value of the adjusted averaging parameter is proportional to at least one of (a) a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell, and (b) a previously stored value indicative of or calculated at least in part based upon a number of cell intervals between two received cells; and

calculating a cell rate parameter A(new) in the following manner;

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a count value indicative of a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell on the same connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said estimating step further includes estimating the cell rate for the connection using the count value indicative of the number of cell intervals between the received cell arid the previously received cell on the same connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a count value indicative of a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell on the same connection, and wherein said determining a count value step includes comparing timestamp values for the received cell and the previously received cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received cell is an ATM cell, and the method further comprising the step of sending the estimated cell rate back to a source on an ATM network via a backward RM cell.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said estimating step comprises adjusting the averaging parameter in a manner such that in a high cell rate connection a previously estimated cell rate parameter for the connection contributes more to the cell rate estimated in said estimating step than in a low cell rate connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusting step includes adjusting the averaging parameter so that the parameter is larger for low cell rate connections than for high cell rate connections.

8. A method of calculating an estimated cell rate for a connection, the method comprising:

receiving a cell on the collection;

adjusting an averaging parameter so that a value of the averaging parameter is a function of cell rate;

estimating a cell rate for the connection using the value of the adjusted averaging parameter; and

determining whether a count value “

in”

relating to the received cell differs from a stored value by more than a predetermined amount; and

when the count value “

n”

differs from the stored value by more than the predetermined amount, then setting the averaging parameter to a predetermined value.

9. In an ATM network including one or more ATM switches, a method of estimating ATM cell rate on a given connection of the network comprising:

receiving an ATM cell on the connection;

adjusting an averaging parameter so that an adjusted value of the parameter is at least partially a function of a value indicative of cell rate on the connection;

estimating a cell rate for the connection using the adjusted value of the averaging parameter;

wherein said adjusting includes adjusting the averaging parameter so that the adjusted value of the parameter is at least partially a function of a previously stored value reflecting a number of cell intervals between two ATM cells received from a source on the connection; and

determining whether a count value “

n”

relating to the received cell differs from a stored value by more than a predetermined amount; and

when the count value “

n”

differs from the stored value by more than the predetermined amount, then setting the averaging parameter to a predetermined value.

10. An apparatus for estimating ATM cell rate for a connection, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a cell oil the connection;

a circuit for adjusting an averaging parameter to a value relating to cell rate of the connection;

an estimating circuit for estimating a cell rate for the connection using the value of the averaging parameter;

means for adjusting the averaging parameter so that the value of the averaging parameter is proportional to at least one of (a) a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell, and (b) a previously stored value indicative of or proportional to a number of cell intervals between two received cells; and

means for determining whether a count value “

n”

relating to the received cell differs from a stored, value by more than a predetermined amount; and

when the count value “

n”

differs from the stored value by more than the predetermined amount, then setting the averaging parameter to a predetermined value.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for determining a count value indicative of a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell on the same connection.

12. An apparatus for estimating ATM cell rate for a connection, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a cell on the connection;

a circuit for adjusting an averaging parameter to a value relating to cell rate of the connection;

an estimating circuit for estimating a cell rate for the connection using the value of the averaging parameter;

means for calculating a cell rate parameter A(new) by;

13. In an ATM network including one or more ATM switches, an apparatus for estimating cell rate on a given connection of the network comprising:

means for receiving an ATM cell on the connection;

means for adjusting an averaging parameter so that an adjusted value of the averaging parameter is larger for low cell rate connections than for high cell rate connections;

means for estimating a cell rate for the connection using the adjusted value of the averaging parameter;

wherein said means for adjusting is further for adjusting the averaging parameter so that the value of the adjusted averaging parameter is proportional to at least one of (a) a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell, and (b) a previously stored value indicative of or calculated at least in part based upon a number of cell intervals between two received cells; and

means for determining whether a count value “

n”

relating to the received cell differs from a stored value by more than a predetermined amount; and

when the count value “

n”

differs from the stored value by more than the predetermined amount, then setting the averaging parameter to a predetermined value.

14. A method of calculating an estimated cell rate for a connection comprising:

receiving an ATM call on the connection;

adjusting an averaging parameter so that an adjusted value of the averaging parameter is larger for a low cell rate connection than for a high cell rate connection;

estimating a cell rate for the connection using the value of the adjusted averaging parameter;

wherein said adjusting includes adjusting the averaging parameter so that the value of the adjusted averaging parameter is proportional to at least one of (a) a number of cell intervals between the received cell and a previously received cell, and (b) a previously stored value indicative of or calculated at least in part based upon a number of cell intervals between two received cells; and

determining whether a count value “

n”

relating to the received cell differs from a stored value by more than a predetermined amount, and when the count value “

n”

differs from the stored value by more than the predetermined amount, then setting the averaging parameter to a predetermined value.