Apparatus and method for preserving frame sequence and distributing traffic in multi-channel link and multi-channel transmitter using the same

A multi-channel transmitter, comprising:

• a transmitting buffer module for storing frames received from a higher layer;
• a sequence preservation distribution module for receiving the frames from the transmitting buffer module, distributing the frames to at least one transmitter, and transmitting the frames after storing the frames for a sequence preservation service time (SPST) so as to preserve a sequence of frames even if an idle transmitter exists;
• and
• a transmitting module for receiving the frames from the sequence preservation distribution module on a single-frame-at-a-time basis, and transmitting the frames to a communication channel within a predictable service time according to frame length.

A method of preserving a frame sequence and distributing traffic in a multi-channel link, comprising:

• the first step of receiving frames from a higher layer and storing the frames;
• the second step of determining whether at least one idle transmitter exists, and scheduling the stored frames to be transmitted to at least one sequence preservation buffer if at least one idle transmitter exists;
• the third step of receiving the frames according to the scheduling, storing the frames in a designated sequence preservation buffer for a preset sequence preservation service time (SPST) to preserve a frame sequence and then transmitting the frames to the idle transmitter;
• and
• the fourth step of the transmitter transmitting the frames to a communication channel.