Quantized queue length arbiter

Abstract

A queue length arbiter system provides for selecting from a plurality of N queues requiring access to a resource. The system includes: an arbitration circuit; and a plurality of weight circuits each being associated with a corresponding one of the queues, and being operative to store a corresponding weight count value, and also being operative to initialize the corresponding weight count value to a corresponding initial weight value determined based on a length value indicative of a number of data portions enqueued at the corresponding queue at an initial time, and being further operative to decrease the corresponding weight count value in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of grant signals, and also being operative to generate a corresponding one of a plurality of weight count signals, the corresponding weight count signal carrying the corresponding weight count value. The arbitration circuit includes: a plurality of weight checking circuits associated with corresponding ones of the queues, each checking circuit being operative to generate a corresponding one of a plurality of select signals indicative of a corresponding selected one of the queues in response to each of the weight count signals, the corresponding selected queue being determined based on the weight count values; and a resolving circuit responsive to each of the select signals, and being operative to choose one of the weight checking circuits, and also being operative to provide the grant signals, the grant signals indicating a granted queue that is selected by the chosen weight circuit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.