Patent ID: 7010004

Claim:
A method for multiplexing data in a packet network system with a plurality of data queues, said method comprising the steps: a) initialize a first output queue section by making all address pointers in that section point to their own addresses; b) initialize said system by setting an input queue equal to a first input stream and initialize a next section of its output queue by making all address pointers in that output queue point to their own addresses; c) select the next input queue; d) read a next packet from said next input queue and select a location for it in said output queue; e) determine whether said selected location in said output queue is occupied by examining its address pointer; f) if said selected location is occupied, select in its stead a new location pointed to by the address pointer for said selected location and repeat until the lastly selected location is not occupied; g) store the pointer to said next packet in the lastly selected location; h) modify the address pointers for all output queue locations examined in step f to point to the first unoccupied location in the output queue that is beyond the location accessed in step g; i) go to step c and repeat until the last input queue in said plurality of data queues is multiplexed.