Patent ID: 6577596
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of reducing delay in the transmission of a plurality of data packets on a communication link, said packets having a plurality of associated priority classifications, and being transmitted according to a multi-layer protocol having at least a first layer and a second layer, the method comprising the steps of:scheduling each of the plurality of packets for transmission by placing each packet in one of a plurality of queues at the first layer, each of said first-layer queues corresponding to a different one of the plurality of priority classifications associated with the data packets; discarding any of the plurality of packets that cannot be placed in one of the first-layer queues; determining whether a queue having the highest priority in the second layer has sufficient space available for the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue to be moved to the highest priority second-layer queue; if the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue cannot be moved to the highest priority second-layer queue, retaining the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue until the packets can be moved to the highest priority second-layer queue; and if the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue can be moved to the highest priority second-layer queue: compressing a header on each of the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue; moving the packets in the highest priority first-layer queue to the highest priority second-layer queue; and transmitting the packets from the highest priority second-layer queue through an output buffer to the communication link.