Patent ID: 8014401

Claim:
An electronic device, comprising: an interconnect means (N, sw 0 -sw 2 ) for connecting a plurality of modules (IP); and at least one network interface (NI) for coupling at least one of the plurality of modules (IP) to the interconnect means (N; sw 0 -sw 2 ) and for packetizing data from the modules (IP) into first packets (pck); wherein the communication over the interconnect (N; sw 0 -sw 2 ) is based on time slots, wherein a second packet (μpck) is transferred during one time slot; wherein a data traffic over the interconnect means (N; sw 0 -sw 2 ) comprises at least one guaranteed service traffic class (GS) and/or at least one best-effort service traffic class (BE); wherein first packets (GSpck) relating to the at least one guaranteed service traffic class (GS) are transferred in second packets (μpck) within time slots reserved for the guaranteed service traffic class (GS); wherein first packets (pck 1 -pck 6 ) relating to the at least one best-effort service traffic class (BE) are transferred within unreserved second packets (μpck) and/or within unused portions (uu) of the second packets (μpck) and wherein an extra header is introduced to a first packet (pck 1 -pck 6 ) relating to the at least one best-effort service traffic class (BE), if not all of the first packets (pck 1 -pck 6 ) are transferred within one second packet (μpck).