Method and apparatus for managing communications between multi-node quota-based communication systems

A method for managing information flow from a multi-node unidirectional communication ring to a first ring of a multi-node bidirectional communication ring through a bridge node joining said unidirectional communication ring and said bidirectional communication ring, each said communication ring employing a quota allocation scheme for controlling access thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

• circulating a first quota allocation signal among nodes on said bidirectional communication ring for controlling access to said first ring by nodes thereon;
• circulating a second quota allocation signal among nodes on said unidirectional communication ring for controlling access to said unidirectional communication ring by nodes thereon for transmitting information to said bridge node destined for said first ring;
• and
• synchronizing said first quota allocation signal and said second quota allocation signal such that for each complete circulation of said first quota allocation signal there is at most one complete circulation of said second quota allocation signal, wherein a first quota allocated to a given node on said first ring in response to said first quota allocation signal is equal to a total quota allocated to all nodes on said unidirectional communication ring in response to a complete circulation of said second quota allocation signal.

A method for managing information flow from a first ring of a multi-node bidirectional communication ring to a multi-node unidirectional communication ring through a bridge node joining said bidirectional communication ring and said unidirectional communication ring, each said communication ring employing a quota allocation scheme for controlling access thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

• circulating a first quota allocation signal among nodes on said bidirectional communication ring for controlling access to said first ring by nodes thereon, wherein at least one node on said first ring has information destined for said unidirectional communication ring;
• circulating a second quota allocation signal among nodes on said unidirectional communication ring for controlling access to said unidirectional communication ring by nodes thereon;
• and
• deflecting said information around said first ring if said information is currently unacceptable by said bridge node, wherein said information is deflected upon each attempt to enter said bridge node until said information is acceptable.

A method for managing information flow from a first path of a multi-node bidirectional communication path to a second multi-node communication path through a bridge node joining said bidirectional communication path and said second communication path, each said communication path employing a quota allocation scheme for controlling access thereto, wherein said information is arranged in sequenced information packets, each of said sequenced information packets having a deflection field initialized to an initial value associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

• propagating a first quota allocation signal among nodes on said bidirectional communication path for controlling access to said first path thereby, wherein at least one node on said first path has a plurality of sequenced information packets destined for said second communication path;
• propagating a second quota allocation signal among nodes on said second communication path for controlling access to said second communication path thereby;
• examining said associated deflection field for a given information packet upon an attempt thereby to enter said bridge node, wherein said deflection field indicates whether said given information packet has been deflected;
• and
• determining whether said bridge node is currently at capacity with respect to said plurality of sequenced information packets.

A bridge node for providing information exchange between a first multi-node communication path and a second multi-node communication path, said first multi-node communication path employing a quota allocation scheme for access thereto by nodes thereon, and said second multi-node communication path employing a quota allocation scheme for access thereto by nodes thereon for transmitting information to said first multi-node communication path, said bridge node comprising:

• a first buffer for buffering first information from said first multi-node communication path to said second multi-node communication path, said first buffer releasing said first information onto said second multi-node communication path in accordance with said quota allocation scheme employed by said second multi-node communication path;
• means for determining whether said first buffer is currently at capacity with respect to said first information;
• means for deflecting said first information onto said first communication path if said first buffer is determined to be currently at said capacity;
• a second buffer for buffering second information from said second multi-node communication path to said first multi-node communication path, said second buffer releasing said second information onto said first multi-node communication path in accordance with said quota allocation scheme employed by said first multi-node communication path;
• and
• means for accepting said first information and said second information into said bridge node.

A multi-node quota-based communication system, comprising:

• a first multi-node communication path employing a quota allocation scheme, wherein a first quota allocation signal is propagated on said first multi-node communication path for controlling access thereto by nodes thereon;
• a second multi-node communication path employing a quota allocation scheme, wherein a second quota allocation signal is propagated on said second multi-node communication path for controlling access thereto by nodes thereon for transmitting information destined for said first multi-node communication path;
• means for synchronizing said first quota allocation signal and said second quota allocation signal such that said second quota allocation signal is propagated at most once through all nodes on said second multi-node communication path during a propagation of said first quota allocation signal through all nodes on said first multi-node communication path;
• and
• a bridge node joining said first multi-node communication path and said second multi-node communication path for providing information exchange therebetween, wherein said information is transmitted via sequenced information packets, said bridge node comprising:
• a first buffer for buffering first sequenced information packets from said first multi-node communication path to said second multi-node communication path;
• means for determining whether a given first information packet is currently acceptable by said first buffer;
• and
• a second buffer for buffering second sequenced information packets from said second multi-node communication path to said first multi-node communication path.