Patent ID: 6463068
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A router for use in routing packets over a network, the router supporting a plurality, X, of classes of service and including:A. a plurality of input ports for receiving packets over the network; B. a plurality of output ports for transferring packets over the network; C. a classifier for assigning packets received by the input ports to X*Y classes of service, where * represents multiplication, and mapping the XY classes of service to the X classes of service that are supported by the router, the classifier assigning to the packet one of Y associated levels of priority, wherein each level of priority is associated with a different probability of packet loss; D. means for retaining the packets based on probabilities of discard associated with the X*Y classes of service; and E. scheduling means for transferring the packets through each of the output ports based on the X classes of service.