Method and apparatus for blocking transmission of frames from a network device
First Claim
1. A network device comprising:
- a first queue to receive a first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level;
a second queue to receive a second plurality of frames, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level;
a timing module to determine a start time of a burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and
a shaper to determine (i) a maximum size of one of the second plurality of frames, or (ii) a minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, wherein the shaper is further to determine whether to block transmission of a head-of-line frame of the second plurality of frames from the network device based on (i) the maximum size, or (ii) the minimum size.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network device including first and second queues, a timing module and a shaper. The first queue receives first frames. The second queue receives second frames. A priority level of the second frames is lower than a priority level of the first frames. The timing module determines a start time of a burst period of the first frames. The first frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period. The shaper determines: a size of a head-of-line frame of the second frames; a predetermined maximum size of one of the second frames; or a predetermined minimum size of one of the second frames. The shaper determines whether to block transmission of the head-of-line frame from the network device based on (i) the start time, (ii) the size of the head-of-line frame, (iii) the predetermined maximum size, or (iv) the predetermined minimum size.
36 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A network device comprising:
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a first queue to receive a first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level; a second queue to receive a second plurality of frames, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level; a timing module to determine a start time of a burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and a shaper to determine (i) a maximum size of one of the second plurality of frames, or (ii) a minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, wherein the shaper is further to determine whether to block transmission of a head-of-line frame of the second plurality of frames from the network device based on (i) the maximum size, or (ii) the minimum size. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 23, 24, 27, 28)
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12. A method of operating a network device, wherein the network device comprises a first queue, a second queue, and a shaper, the method comprising:
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receiving a first plurality of frames at the first queue, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level; receiving a second plurality of frames at the second queue, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level; determining a start time of a burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and determining, via the shaper, (i) a maximum size of one of the second plurality of frames, or (ii) a minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, wherein the shaper is further to determine whether to block transmission of a head-of-line frame of the second plurality of frames from the network device based on (i) the maximum size, or (ii) the minimum size. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A network device comprising:
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a first queue to receive a first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level; a second queue to receive a second plurality of frames, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level; a timing module to determine a start time of a burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and a shaper to determine (i) a size of a head-of-line frame of the second plurality of frames, (ii) a maximum size of one of the second plurality of frames, or (iii) a minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, wherein the shaper is configured to block transmission of the head-of-line frame from the network device based on a clock signal and (i) the size of the head-of-line frame, (ii) the maximum size, or (iii) the minimum size, and wherein the clock signal is shared between the network device and other network devices in a non-arbitrary network.
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22. A network device comprising,
a first queue to receive a first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level; -
a second queue to receive a second plurality of frames, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level; a timing module to determine a start time of a burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and a shaper to determine (i) a size of a head-of-line frame of the second plurality of frames, (ii) a maximum size of one of the second plurality of frames, or (iii) a minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, wherein the shaper is further to determine whether to block transmission of the head-of-line frame from the network device based on (i) the size of the head-of-line frame, (ii) the maximum size, or (iii) the minimum size, wherein signals generated in the network device are generated based on a clock signal shared between the network device and other network devices in a non-arbitrary network.
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25. A network device comprising:
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a first queue receive a first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames have a first priority level; a second queue to receive a second plurality of frames, wherein the second plurality of frames have a second priority level, and wherein the second priority level is lower than the first priority level; a timing module to determine a start time of burst period of the first plurality of frames, wherein the first plurality of frames are transmitted from the network device during the burst period; and a shaper to (i) determine a maximum or minimum size of one of the second plurality of frames, and (ii) permit transmission of one or more of the second plurality of frames if the one or more of the second plurality of frames are sized to be transmitted within a margin period; the margin period (i) occurs between two consecutive bursts of the first plurality of frames, (ii) begins at an end of a first one of the two consecutive bursts, and (iii) ends at a beginning of a blocking window; and a length of the blocking window is based on the maximum or minimum size and a size of a predetermined number of the first plurality of frames. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification