Methods and systems for managing packet flow into a fast packet switching network

A method of controlling a flow of asynchronous transfer mode cells being forwarded by a customer premise equipment to a source endpoint of a fast packet switching network, the fast packet switching network having a plurality of virtual connections provisioned from the source endpoint to a plurality of destination endpoints, the virtual connections utilized for communicating the cells to the destination endpoints, the method comprising the steps of:

• bundling the plurality of virtual connections together for the assignment of bandwidth;
• obtaining a bandwidth constraint associated with the source endpoint over all of the plurality of virtual connections, wherein the bandwidth constraint is independent of the destination endpoint as identified by a virtual connection;
• obtaining a parameter indicative of actual bandwidth usage associated with the source endpoint over the bundle of virtual connections emanating from the source endpoint;
• updating the parameter in response to the customer premise equipment forwarding a cell to the source endpoint;
• inhibiting the flow of cells forwarded to the source endpoint when the parameter violates the bandwidth constraint;
• queuing at least one cell when the parameter violates the bandwidth constraint;
• and
• forwarding one of the at least one cell to the source endpoint when the parameter complies with the bandwidth constraint.

A system for controlling a flow of packets being forwarded by a customer premise equipment to a source endpoint of a fast packet switching network, the fast packet switching network having a plurality of virtual connections provisioned from the source endpoint to a plurality of destination endpoints, the virtual connections utilized for communicating the packets to the destination endpoints, the system comprising:

• means for bundling the plurality of virtual connections together for the assignment of bandwidth;
• means for obtaining a bandwidth constraint associated with the source endpoint over all of the plurality of virtual connections, wherein the bandwidth constraint is independent of the destination endpoint as identified by a virtual connection;
• means for obtaining a parameter indicative of actual bandwidth usage associated with the source endpoint over the bundle of virtual connections emanating from the source endpoint;
• and
• means for inhibiting the flow of packets forwarded to the source endpoint when the parameter violates the bandwidth constraint.

A system for controlling a flow of asynchronous transfer mode cells being forwarded by a customer premise equipment to a source endpoint of a fast packet switching network, the fast packet switching network having a plurality of virtual connections provisioned from the source endpoint to a plurality of destination endpoints, the virtual connections utilized for communicating the cells to the destination endpoints, the system comprising:

• means for bundling the plurality of virtual connections together for the assignment of bandwidth;
• means for obtaining a bandwidth constraint associated with the source endpoint over all of the plurality of virtual connections, wherein the bandwidth constraint is independent of the destination endpoint as identified by a virtual connection;
• means for obtaining a parameter indicative of actual bandwidth usage associated with the endpoint over the bundle of virtual connections emanating from the source endpoint;
• means for updating the parameter in response to the customer premise equipment forwarding a cell to the source endpoint;
• means for inhibiting the flow of cells forwarded to the source endpoint when the parameter violates bandwidth constraint;
• means for queuing at least one cell when the parameter violates the bandwidth constraint;
• and
• means for forwarding one of the at least one cell to the source endpoint when the parameter complies with the bandwidth constraint.