Apparatus and method for template-based scheduling processes using regularity measures

A node for use in a communications network for conveying communication signals over established virtual circuits through said node comprising:

• an input-output circuit module coupled to a plurality of ports for processing communication signals as incoming and outgoing signals, said module circuit for receiving incoming communication signals from at least one input port and for transmitting outgoing communication signals through at least one output port;
• a buffer memory for temporarily storing communication signals to be conveyed through said output port;
• and
• a controller configured for controlling said module to transmit said communication signals for respective virtual circuits based on a scheduling template, said template having a plurality of slots assigned to corresponding virtual circuits, wherein an ordering of said slots indicates a repetitive scheduling order for transmission of communication signals associated with said respective virtual circuits, said controller identifying a desirable scheduling template slot order by selecting a plurality of scheduling templates based on a selection criterion, determining a regularity measure for at least one of said templates, said regularity measure based on a summation of values representing convex functions of positional distances between slots assigned to the same virtual circuit for at least one of said virtual circuits, and selecting one of said scheduling templates for use in the communication network based on said determined regularity measures.