Patent ID: 7551603
Filing Date: 2009-06-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of interleaving the transmission of time-critical packets with the transmission of lower-priority packets across a common data link, the method comprising: maintaining time-critical packet arrival statistics; when a lower-priority packet becomes available for transmission across the data link, estimating a transmit time required for transmission of that packet; and based on the time-critical packet arrival statistics and the estimated transmit time for the lower-priority packet, predicting whether the lower-priority packet can be selected for transmission across the data link without causing substantial delay to a time-critical packet that is not yet available for transmission across the data link, wherein predicting whether the lower-priority packet can be selected for transmission without causing substantial delay comprises computing time remaining until an expected arrival of the next time-critical packet and comparing the time remaining with an estimated transmit time for the lower-priority packet.