US6504845B1 — Centralized queuing for ATM node

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

An ATM switching node comprising: an ATM switch core having plural switch input ports and plural switch output ports; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes, through one cell handling unit-connected switch output port, ATM cells obtained from the plural switch input ports, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which selectively routes cells obtained from the plural switch input ports through the cell handling unit to the queuing resource; a switch port interface which selectively applies cells obtained from the switch core to the cell router and which applies all cells obtained from the queuing resource to a same switch input port.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 125 words

An ATM switching node comprising: an ATM switch core having plural switch input ports and plural switch output ports; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes, through one cell handling unit-connected switch output port, ATM cells obtained from the plural switch input ports, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which selectively routes cells obtained from the plural switch input ports through the cell handling unit to the queuing resource; a switch port interface which selectively applies cells obtained from the switch core to the cell router and which applies all cells obtained from the queuing resource to a same switch input port.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the node is a base station node of a telecommunications network, and wherein the queuing resource multiplexes plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into one ATM-VCC having a first type AAL protocol.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the queuing resource multiplexes plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into cells destined to an extension terminal connected to the predetermined switch output port, the extension terminal being connected to an output link of the node.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cell router routes a cell of a first type AAL protocol to a demultiplexer which converts the cell of the first type AAL protocol to a cell of a second type AAL protocol.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 2 , 3 , or 4 , wherein the first type AAL protocol is AAL2 and the second type AAL protocol is AAL2 prime.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the switch port interface applies all cells obtained from the queuing resource and the demultiplexer to a same switch input port.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the queuing resource comprises plural link multiplexers to which respective cells are routed by the cell router in accordance with corresponding plural links emanating from the node.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 4 , wherein the routing of the cell router is accomplished in accordance with cell VCI.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 82 words

An ATM switch-based base station controller node of a telecommunications network, the node comprising an ATM switch core; a diversity unit connected to the ATM switch core; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes ATM cells obtained from the diversity unit, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which routes cells obtained from the diversity unit to the queuing resource.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 82 words

An ATM switch-based base station controller node of a telecommunications network, the node comprising an ATM switch core; a diversity unit connected to the ATM switch core; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes ATM cells obtained from the diversity unit, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which routes cells obtained from the diversity unit to the queuing resource.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the queuing resource multiplexes plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into one ATM-VCC having a first type AAL protocol.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the queuing resource multiplexes plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into cells destined to an extension terminal connected to the predetermined switch output port, the extension terminal being connected to an output link of the node.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the cell router routes a cell of a first type AAL protocol to a demultiplexer which converts the cell of the first type AAL protocol to a cell of a second type AAL protocol.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 10 , 11 , or 12 , wherein the first type AAL protocol is AAL2 and the second type AAL protocol is AAL2 prime.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the a diversity unit obtains cells from plural switch output ports of the switch core, and wherein the switch core routes cells obtained from the diversity unit out one switch output port to the cell handling unit.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 106 words

A method of operating an ATM switching node, the method comprising: (1) routing ATM cells received at plural switch input ports of an ATM switch core through the ATM switch core and out one switch output port to a cell handling unit; (2) within the cell handling unit, routing the cells received from the switch core to a queuing resource, the routing being accomplished in accordance with cell VCI; (3) queuing, in the queuing resource, cells destined to a predetermined switch output port of the switch core; (4) applying all cells obtained from the queuing resource to a same switch input port of the switch core.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 106 words

A method of operating an ATM switching node, the method comprising: (1) routing ATM cells received at plural switch input ports of an ATM switch core through the ATM switch core and out one switch output port to a cell handling unit; (2) within the cell handling unit, routing the cells received from the switch core to a queuing resource, the routing being accomplished in accordance with cell VCI; (3) queuing, in the queuing resource, cells destined to a predetermined switch output port of the switch core; (4) applying all cells obtained from the queuing resource to a same switch input port of the switch core.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method claim 15 , wherein the node is a base station node of a telecommunications network, wherein the method further comprises the queuing resource multiplexing plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into one ATM-VCC having a first type AAL protocol.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 15 , further comprising the queuing resource multiplexing plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into cells destined to an extension terminal connected to the predetermined switch output port, the extension terminal being connected to an output link of the node.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 15 , further comprising routing, in the cell handling unit, a cell of a first type AAL protocol to a demultiplexer which converts the cell of the first type AAL protocol to a cell of a second type AAL protocol.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 15 , 17 , or 18 , wherein the first type AAL protocol is AAL2 and the second type AAL protocol is AAL2 prime.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 18 , further comprising applying all cells obtained from the queuing resource and the demultiplexer to a same switch input port.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 15 , further comprising: providing, at the queuing resource, plural link multiplexers; and using the cell router to route respective cells to the respective plural link multiplexers in accordance with corresponding plural links emanating from the node.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 20 , further comprising routing the cells received from the switch core to a queuing resource in accordance with cell VCI.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 83 words

A method of operating an ATM switch-based node base station controller node of a telecommunications network, the method comprising: (1) routing ATM cells received from a diversity unit through an ATM switch core to a cell handling unit; (2) within the cell handling unit, routing the cells received from the switch core to a queuing resource, the routing being accomplished in accordance with cell VCI; (3) queuing, in the queuing resource, cells destined to a predetermined switch output port of the switch core.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 83 words

A method of operating an ATM switch-based node base station controller node of a telecommunications network, the method comprising: (1) routing ATM cells received from a diversity unit through an ATM switch core to a cell handling unit; (2) within the cell handling unit, routing the cells received from the switch core to a queuing resource, the routing being accomplished in accordance with cell VCI; (3) queuing, in the queuing resource, cells destined to a predetermined switch output port of the switch core.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method claim 23 , further comprises the queuing resource multiplexing plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into one ATM-VCC having a first type AAL protocol.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 23 , further comprising the queuing resource multiplexing plural channels of cells of a second type AAL protocol into cells destined to an extension terminal connected to the predetermined switch output port, the extension terminal being connected to an output link of the node.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 23 , further comprising routing, in the cell handling unit, a cell of a first type AAL protocol to a demultiplexer which converts the cell of the first type AAL protocol to a cell of a second type AAL protocol.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 24 , 25 , or 26 , wherein the first type AAL protocol is AAL2 and the second type AAL protocol is AAL2 prime.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising applying all cells obtained from the queuing resource and the demultiplexer to a same switch input port.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising: the diversity unit obtaining cells from plural switch output ports of the switch core, and the switch core routing cells obtained from the diversity unit out one switch output port to the cell handling unit.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 231 words

An ATM switching node comprising: an ATM switch core having plural switch input ports and plural switch output ports; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes ATM cells obtained from the plural switch input ports, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which selectively routes cells obtained from the plural switch input ports through the cell handling unit; and wherein the queuing resource comprises a link multiplexer which prepares ATM cells destined to the predetermined switch output port, the link multiplexer having a first stage and a second stage, wherein the second stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM packets and a second stage multiplexer for selecting the ATM packets stored in the plural queues of the second stage for transmission to the first stage, wherein the first stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM cells and a first stage multiplexer for selection of ATM cells including ATM cells formed of ATM packets of the second stage for discharge from the queuing resource, wherein each of the plural queues of the first stage are assigned to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and wherein each of the plural queues of the second stage are assigned to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 231 words

An ATM switching node comprising: an ATM switch core having plural switch input ports and plural switch output ports; a cell handling unit to which the ATM switch core routes ATM cells obtained from the plural switch input ports, the cell handling unit comprising: a queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to a predetermined switch output port; a cell router which selectively routes cells obtained from the plural switch input ports through the cell handling unit; and wherein the queuing resource comprises a link multiplexer which prepares ATM cells destined to the predetermined switch output port, the link multiplexer having a first stage and a second stage, wherein the second stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM packets and a second stage multiplexer for selecting the ATM packets stored in the plural queues of the second stage for transmission to the first stage, wherein the first stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM cells and a first stage multiplexer for selection of ATM cells including ATM cells formed of ATM packets of the second stage for discharge from the queuing resource, wherein each of the plural queues of the first stage are assigned to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and wherein each of the plural queues of the second stage are assigned to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the queuing resource which provides queuing for cells which are destined to plural predetermined switch output ports, and wherein the queuing resources comprises respective plural link multiplexers in which the cells destined to the respective plural predetermined switch output ports are queued.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 9 , wherein the ATM switch core routes an ATM cell destined for an output link requiring queuing to the queuing resource, but wherein the ATM switch core routes an ATM cell destined for an output link not requiring queuing to the output link not requiring queuing.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the ATM switch core sends to the queuing resource a copy of the ATM cell destined for an output link not requiring queuing.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 109 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 9 , wherein the queuing resource provides a link multiplexer for a selected output link of the node, the link multiplexer having a first stage and a second stage; wherein the second stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM packets and a second stage multiplexer for selecting the ATM packets stored in the plural queues of the second stage for transmission to the first stage; wherein the first stage comprises plural queues for storing ATM cells and a first stage multiplexer for selection of ATM cells including ATM cells formed of ATM packets of the second stage for discharge from the queuing resource.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 34 or 30 , wherein the ATM packets are AAL2 packets.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of clam 34 , wherein each of the plural queues of the first stage are assigned to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and wherein each of the plural queues of the second stage are assigned to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of clam 34 , wherein each of the plural queues of the first stage are assigned to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and wherein each of the plural queues of the second stage are assigned to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 61 words

The apparatus of claim 34 or 30 , wherein the plural queues of the second stage are grouped into plural queuing units, each of the queuing units being assigned to a unique VCI, and wherein each queuing unit comprises a second stage multiplexer for selecting the ATM packets stored in the plural queues grouped therewith for transmission to the first stage.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 37 , wherein each of the plural queues of the first stage are assigned to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and wherein each of the plural queues of at least one of the queuing units of the second stage are assigned to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 104 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 9 , wherein the queuing resource provides a link multiplexer for a selected output link, the link multiplexer having an ATM stage comprising: a memory in which ATM cells selected for output to the selected output link are stored; a first service class ATM cell queue for storing ATM cells of a first service class; a second service class ATM cell queue for storing ATM cells of a second service class; an ATM cell multiplexer for selecting ATM cells from the first service class ATM queue and the second service class ATM queue for storage in the memory.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 89 words

The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein the link multiplexer further comprises an AAL2 stage, the AAL2 stage comprising an AAL2 VCI queuing unit for each of plural VCIs; each AAL2 VCI queuing unit comprising: a first service class AAL2 queue for storing AAL2 packets of a first service class; a second service class AAL2 queue for storing AAL2 packets of a second service class; an AAL2 multiplexer for selecting AAL2 packets from the first service class and the second service class for transmission to the ATM cell multiplexer.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 9 , wherein the queuing resource is a queue server.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 1 or 9 , wherein the cell handler unit detects a predetermined type of ATM cells and routes the predetermined type of ATM cell back to the ATM switch core, whereby the predetermined type of ATM cell bypasses the queuing resource.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 42 , wherein the cell handler unit provides an indication to the queuing resource that the predetermined type of ATM cell has bypassed the queuing resource.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 15 or 23 , further comprising: routing the ATM cells received at step (1) which do not require queuing through the switching node to a queuing-unnecessary output link in a manner to bypass the centralized queuing resource.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 44 , further comprising sending to the queuing resource a copy of the ATM cell destined for the queuing-unnecessary output link.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 87 words

The method of claim 15 or 23 , further comprising: providing a link multiplexer for a selected output link of the node, the link multiplexer having a first stage and a second stage; in the second stage storing ATM packets in plural second stage queues and multiplexing the ATM packets from the plural second stage queues to the first stage; the first stage storing ATM cells in plural first stage queues and multiplexing the ATM cells from the first stage queues for discharge from the queuing resource.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 46 , wherein the ATM packets are AAL2 packets.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 46 , further comprising: assigning each of the plural queues of the first stage to a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and assigning each of the plural queues of the second stage to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 46 , further comprising: grouping the plural queues of the second stage into plural queuing units, each of the queuing units being assigned to a unique VCI, and providing a second stage multiplexer for each queuing unit for selecting the ATM packets stored in the plural queues grouped therewith for transmission to the first stage.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 49 , further comprising: assigning each of the plural queues of the first stage a corresponding one of plural service classes of ATM cells, and assigning each of the plural queues of at least one of the queuing units of the second stage to a corresponding one of the same plural service classes.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 15 or 23 , further comprising providing the queuing resource in a queue server.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 15 or 23 , further comprising: detecting at the cell handler unit a predetermined type of ATM cell, and routing the predetermined type of ATM cell back to the ATM switch core, whereby the predetermined type of ATM cell bypasses the queuing resource.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 52 , further comprising the cell handler unit providing an indication to the queuing resource that the predetermined type of ATM cell has bypassed the queuing resource.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-01-06	2006-07-08	2007-01-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-01-06	2010-07-08	2011-01-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-01-06	2014-07-08	2015-01-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Centralized queuing for ATM node

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag