Patent ID: 6771599
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A communication control method of once storing fixed-length packets in corresponding storage sections in accordance with connection information contained in said packets and of then transmitting said packets from said storage sections in succession, said method comprising the steps of:setting a lower-limit throughput corresponding to a minimum bandwidth to be ensured, an upper-limit throughput corresponding to a maximum bandwidth to be limited, and at least one intermediate throughput between said lower-limit throughput and said upper-limit throughput; counting the number of packets transmitted for each of connections, and monitoring whether or not a packet to be transmitted exists in said storage section, for each of said connections; retrieving a connection, satisfying a first condition that the number of transmitted packets does not reach said lower-limit throughput and said packet to be transmitted exists in the corresponding storage section, with first priority, and further, if no hit connection exists under said first condition, retrieving a connection satisfying a second connection that the number of transmitted packets does not reach said intermediate throughput and said packet to be transmitted exists in the corresponding storage section, and still further, if no hit connection exists under said second condition, retrieving a connection satisfying a third connection that the number of transmitted packets does not reach said upper-limit throughput and said packet to be transmitted exists in the corresponding storage section; if a hit connection is present under any one of said first to third conditions, transmitting said packet from said storage section corresponding to the hit connection and terminating one-time retrieval, while if no hit connection exists under each of said first to third conditions, terminating one-time retrieval without conducting the packet transmission from said storage section and then resuming the retrieval at said connection satisfying that the number of transmitted packets does not reach said lower-limit throughput; and during the repetition of the retrieval, stopping the packet transmission for a connection where the number of transmitted packets reaches said upper-limit throughput.