Patent ID: 6456592
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An apparatus for switching cells from entities in a network comprising:an input mechanism for receiving all cells by the apparatus from the network, the input mechanism includes J input port mechanisms, where J is greater than or equal to 2 and is an integer, wherein all the input port mechanisms together receive cells at an arrival rate; a memory mechanism for storing all cells received by the input mechanism that are to be switched by the apparatus, said memory mechanism connected to the input mechanism, said memory mechanism having an occupancy relating to presence of cells; an output mechanism for sending cells from the apparatus to the network; a server for providing service to the cells at a service rate, said server connected to the memory mechanism and the output mechanism; a scheduler for providing service to the cells as a function of the memory mechanism's occupancy by the cells, said scheduler connected to the server and the memory mechanism, the scheduler includes a mechanism for monitoring the occupancy of the memory mechanism; and a mechanism for changing the arrival rate at which cells are received by all input port mechanisms, wherein each entity has a minimum cell rate, and the changing mechanism computes the fair share of the additional bandwidth to be allocated to each entity requesting service.