Patent ID: 6396834
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of processing a sequence of cells forming a frame in a switch, said method comprising the step of:(a) receiving said sequence of cells including a head cell, a plurality of intermediate cells and a last cell, wherein step (a) comprises the step of receiving said sequence of cells on a connection; (b) storing said sequence of cells in said switch, wherein step (b) comprises the step of storing said sequence of cells in a connection queue; (c) placing said head cell in one of a sequence of buckets of a group, wherein a plurality of groups are provided to serve an output port of said switch; and (d) forwarding said sequence of cells on a port of said switch only after said last cell is received in said switch, wherein said sequence of cells are sent for transmission in successive turns allocated to said group immediately after the turn of said head cell in said one of said sequence of buckets is reached, wherein said sequence of buckets serve a plurality of connections including said connection, storing in said connection queue a next unicast frame including a head cell, a last cell, and a plurality of intermediate cells on said connection; and placing said head cell of said next unicast frame in a bucket which is away from said one of said sequence of buckets storing said head cell of said frame by a number of buckets inversely proportional to the desired bandwidth for said connection such that said plurality of connections are scheduled fairly.