Patent ID: 6356560
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A frame relay switching system comprising:a plurality of frame relay channel units coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, and being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of said access lines; and a common arbitration link coupled to each frame relay channel unit and through which each frame relay channel unit shares arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; and wherein each frame relay channel unit is operative to execute an arbitration routine for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines by performing the steps of: i) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including queuing delay of data supplied by said associated access line and information customized for said associated access line, ii) coupling said arbitration codes generated in step i) to said common arbitration link, and iii) processing arbitration codes coupled to said common arbitration link to determine which channel unit has priority to transmit data over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, and selectively providing the right to transmit data provided by its associated access line over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said arbitration code being representative that said associated access line has transmission priority over all other access lines.