Patent ID: 7392279

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling data flow through a network, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors; memory coupled to at least one of the one or more processors; and a plurality of time-based queues logically configured on the memory and together defining a period of time with each time-based queue defining a separate increment of time within the period of time, whereby each time-based queue is set to dequeue all of its contents at a separate time, every time that a specified increment of time elapses, wherein the processor is configured or designed to (a) determine whether there are time-based queues that are scheduled to be dequeued at a time after the expiration of a network traffic shaping delay, (b) dequeue packets from those time-based queues scheduled to be dequeued, and (c) direct (i) data or (ii) grants to transmit data to particular time-based queues based upon network traffic shaping delays prescribed for the data or grants to transmit the data, wherein each time-based queue is configured to dequeue more than one packet.