Reducing latency jitter in a store-and-forward buffer for mixed-priority traffic
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- setting a threshold number of bits for a store and forward buffer in a first device, wherein the threshold is lower than the number of bits in a maximum transmission unit (MTU);
receiving at the first device packets from a second device in a sending environment that is configured to start and stop packet transfer based on backpressure signals;
storing the packets in the store and forward buffer for transmission to a receiving environment, wherein a first transfer speed to the receiving environment is lower than a second transfer speed from the sending environment and a buffer level in the store and forward buffer reflects a difference between the first and second transfer speeds;
sending the packets to the receiving environment;
determining when contents of the store and forward buffer meet criteria including when the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the store and forward buffer; and
sending a stop transfer backpressure signal to the second device when it is determined that the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the store and forward buffer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for reducing the average delay associated with sending a packet from one environment to another via a store and forward buffer are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing transmission units received over a first network connection includes receiving a first transmission unit on the first network connection, storing the first transmission unit in a buffer, and determining when contents of the buffer meet a plurality of criteria. The method also includes sending a backpressure over the first network connection when it is determined that the contents of the buffer meet the plurality of criteria. In one embodiment, determining when the contents of the buffer meet a plurality of criteria includes determining when the contents of the buffer are of an amount that exceeds a threshold and determining when the contents of the buffer include at least one full packet.
18 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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setting a threshold number of bits for a store and forward buffer in a first device, wherein the threshold is lower than the number of bits in a maximum transmission unit (MTU); receiving at the first device packets from a second device in a sending environment that is configured to start and stop packet transfer based on backpressure signals; storing the packets in the store and forward buffer for transmission to a receiving environment, wherein a first transfer speed to the receiving environment is lower than a second transfer speed from the sending environment and a buffer level in the store and forward buffer reflects a difference between the first and second transfer speeds; sending the packets to the receiving environment; determining when contents of the store and forward buffer meet criteria including when the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the store and forward buffer; and sending a stop transfer backpressure signal to the second device when it is determined that the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the store and forward buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a first interface coupled to a sending environment configured to receive packets and send backpressure signals; a second interface coupled to a receiving environment configured to send the packets; a memory comprising a store and forward buffer configured to store the packets for transmission, wherein a first transfer speed for receiving the packets at the first interface is higher than a second transfer speed for sending packets over the second interface and a buffer level in the store and forward buffer reflects a difference between the first and second transfer speeds; a processor configured to; set a threshold number of bits for the store and forward buffer, wherein the threshold is lower than the number of bits in a maximum transmission unit (MTU); determine when the buffer level in the store and forward buffer exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the buffer; and send a stop transfer backpressure signal to the sending environment over the first interface when it is determined that the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the buffer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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at a first device, communicating with a store and forward buffer in a second device in order to send packets and receive backpressure signals, wherein the store and forward buffer is configured to store packets for transmission to a receiving environment; sending packets to the second device from the first device, wherein a first transfer speed to the second device is higher than a second transfer speed to the receiving environment and a buffer level in the store and forward buffer reflects a difference between the first and second transfer speeds; at the first device, receiving a stop transfer backpressure signal from the second device, wherein the stop transfer backpressure signal indicates that the buffer level exceeds a first threshold number of bits and at least one full packet is in the store and forward buffer, and wherein the threshold is lower than the number of bits in a maximum transmission unit (MTU); and stopping transmission of packets based on the stop transfer backpressure signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a first device comprising; a network processor configured to send a plurality of packets over a bus and receive backpressure signals, wherein the bus comprises a plurality of ports, each port being associated with individual ones of a plurality of buffers; a memory comprising the plurality of buffers, wherein individual ones of the plurality of buffers contain packets having a similar priority; a second device comprising; a first interface coupled to the bus configured to receive the plurality of packets and send backpressure signals to individual ones of the plurality of ports; a second interface coupled to a receiving environment configured to send the plurality of packets; a memory comprising a store and forward buffer configured to store the plurality of packets for transmission, wherein a first transfer speed for receiving the packets at the first interface is higher than a second transfer speed for sending packets over the second interface and a buffer level in the store and forward buffer reflects a difference between the first and second transfer speeds; a processor configured to; set a threshold number of bits for the store and forward buffer wherein the threshold is lower than the number of bits in a maximum transmission unit (MTU); determine when the buffer level in the store and forward buffer exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the buffer; and send stop transfer backpressure signals on a per port basis to one or more ports of the bus over the first interface when it is determined that the buffer level exceeds the threshold and at least one complete packet is in the buffer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification