Head of line blocking
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Abstract
A network switch which includes a plurality of output ports, at least one input port and a queuing manager. Each output port has a control unit associated therewith. The input port receives incoming data destined for various ones of the output ports. The queuing manager directs the incoming data to their destination output ports. Each control unit includes an output queue, a fullness/emptiness sensor and a head of line (HOL) mask. The output queue stores the incoming data destined for its associated output port. The sensor senses when the output queue reaches a fullness or an emptiness state. The HOL mask is connected to the output of the sensor and blocks inflow of the incoming data to the output queue when the sensor senses the fullness state and for enabling inflow when the sensor senses the emptiness state.
18 Citations
16 Claims
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1. (Cancelled).
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2. A control unit for an output port of a network switch, the control unit comprising:
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an output queue for storing incoming data destined for said output port;
a fullness/emptiness sensor for sensing when said output queue reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
a head of line (HOL) mask, in communication with the output of said sensor, for blocking inflow of said incoming data to said output queue when said sensor senses said fullness state and for enabling inflow when said sensor senses said emptiness state.
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3. (Cancelled).
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4. A method of controlling flow within a network switch, the method comprising the steps of:
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sensing when an output queue of said network switch reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
blocking queuing of incoming data to said output queue when said fullness state is sensed;
discarding unicast packets destined to said output queue; and
enabling queuing when said emptiness state is sensed.
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5. A network switch comprising:
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a plurality of output port means for outputting data, each having a means for controlling associated therewith;
at least one input port means for receiving incoming data destined for various ones of said output port means; and
means for directing said incoming data to their destination output port means;
wherein each means for controlling comprises;
means for storing said incoming data destined for its associated output port;
means for sensing when said means for storing reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
means, in communication with the output of said means for sensing, for preventing queuing of said incoming data to said means for storing when said means for sensing senses said fullness state and for enabling queuing when said means for sensing senses said emptiness state.
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6. A control unit for an output port of a network switch, the control unit comprising:
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means for storing incoming data destined for the output port;
means for sensing when said means for storing reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
means, in communication with the output of said means for sensing, for blocking inflow of said incoming data to said means for storing when said means for sensing senses said fullness state and for enabling inflow when said means for sensing senses said emptiness state.
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7. A device for controlling flow within a network switch, the device comprising:
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means for sensing when an output queue of said network switch reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
means for blocking queuing of incoming data to said output queue when said fullness state is sensed;
means for discarding unicast packets destined to said output queue; and
means for enabling queuing when said emptiness state is sensed.
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8. A method for controlling flow within a network switch, the network switch including a plurality of output ports each having a control unit associated therewith, including at least one input port for receiving incoming data destined for various ones of said output ports, and including a queuing manager for directing said incoming data to their destination output ports, wherein each control unit performs the method comprising:
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sensing when an output queue, for storing incoming data and associated with an output port, reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
preventing queuing of the incoming data to the output queue when the fullness state is sensed; and
enabling queuing of the incoming data to the output queue when the emptiness state is sensed.
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9. A method for a control unit for an output port of a network switch, the method comprising:
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sensing when an output queue, for storing incoming data destined for the output port, reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
blocking inflow of the incoming data to the output queue when the fullness state is sensed; and
enabling inflow of the incoming data to the output queue when the emptiness state is sensed.
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10. A device for controlling flow within a network switch, the device comprising:
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a sensor, adapt to sense when an output queue of said network switch reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
a blocking element, adapted to block queuing of incoming data to said output queue when said fullness state is sensed;
a device adapted to discard unicast packets destined to said output queue and adapted to enable queuing when said emptiness state is sensed.
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11. A network switch, comprising:
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a plurality of output port means for outputting data, each having means for controlling associated therewith;
at least one input port means for receiving incoming data destined for various ones of said output port means; and
means for directing said incoming data to their destination output port means, wherein each means for controlling comprises;
means for storing said incoming data destined for its associate output port means;
means for sensing when an output queue, for storing incoming data and associated with an output port means, reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
means for preventing queuing of the incoming data to the output queue when the fullness state is sensed; and
means for enabling queuing of the incoming data to the output queue the emptiness state is sensed.
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12. A control unit for an output port of a network switch, the control unit comprising:
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means for sensing when an output queue, for storing incoming data destined for the output port, reaches a fullness or an emptiness state;
means for blocking inflow of the incoming data to the output queue when the fullness state is sensed; and
means for enabling inflow of the incoming data to the output queue when the emptiness state is sensed.
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13. A network device comprising:
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an output queue for storing incoming data destined for an associated output port;
a fullness/emptiness sensor for sensing when the output queue reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
a head of line (HOL) mask, in communication with the output of said sensor, for blocking inflow of the incoming data to said output queue when said sensor senses the fullness state and for enabling inflow when said sensor senses the emptiness state.
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14. A network device comprising:
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means for storing incoming data destined for an associated output port;
means for sensing when the means for storing reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
means, in communication with the output of the means for sensing, for blocking inflow of the incoming data to the means for storing when the means for sensing senses the fullness state and for enabling inflow when the means for sensing senses the emptiness state.
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15. A network device comprising:
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a plurality of output ports each having a control unit associated therewith;
at least one input port for receiving incoming data destined for various ones of said output ports; and
a queuing manager for directing said incoming data to their destination output ports;
wherein each control unit comprises;
an output queue for storing said incoming data destined for its associated output port;
a fullness/emptiness sensor for sensing when said output queue reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
a head of line (HOL) mask, connected to the output of said sensor, for preventing queuing of said incoming data to said output queue when said sensor senses said fullness state and for enabling queuing when said sensor senses said emptiness state.
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16. A network device comprising:
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a plurality of output port means for outputting data, each having a means for controlling associated therewith;
at least one input port means for receiving incoming data destined for various ones of said output port means; and
means for directing said incoming data to their destination output port means;
wherein each means for controlling comprises;
means for storing said incoming data destined for its associated output port;
means for sensing when said means for storing reaches a fullness or an emptiness state; and
means, in communication with the output of said means for sensing, for preventing queuing of said incoming data to said means for storing when said means for sensing senses said fullness state and for enabling queuing when said means for sensing senses said emptiness state.
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Specification