Patent ID: 9634953
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A scheduler for performing a plurality of scheduler operations, each scheduling an output queue selected from a plurality of output queues associated with an egress port, the scheduler comprising: a candidate decision logic, implemented by a network switch and arranged to decide a plurality of candidate output queues for a current scheduler operation, regardless of a resultant status of packet transmission of at least one scheduled output queue decided by at least one previous scheduler operation, wherein the candidate output queues are decided by the candidate decision logic before the resultant status of packet transmission is available to the scheduler; and a final decision logic, implemented by the network switch and arranged to select one of the candidate output queues as a scheduled output queue decided by the current scheduler operation after obtaining the resultant status of packet transmission of the at least one scheduled output queue decided by the at least one previous scheduler operation; wherein the candidate output queues comprise the at least one scheduled output queue decided by the at least one previous scheduler operation and a specific output queue; and wherein the candidate decision logic selects a best winner output queue from the output queues associated with the egress port, and checks whether the best winner output queue is different from or identical to the at least one scheduled output queue decided by the at least one previous scheduler operation, where the specific output queue of the candidate output queues is set by the best winner output queue when the best winner output queue is different from the at least one scheduled output queue, and is not set by the best winner output queue when the best winner output queue is identical to the at least one scheduled output queue.