Method and apparatus for re-ordering data packets in a network environment

A method for manipulating data traffic units transmitted in a network to reduce a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units, said method comprising:

• a) receiving a stream of data traffic units in a potentially miss-ordered condition, each data traffic unit being associated to a respective sequence number;
• b) placing the data traffic units in a re-ordering queue;
• c) re-ordering the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue on a basis of the sequence number of each data traffic unit for reducing a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units;
• d) applying to the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue a first selection operation, the first selection operation being characterized by a minimal time delay variable that defines a minimal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said re-ordering queue, the first selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a sequence number indicating that the data traffic unit precedes all the other data traffic units in said re-ordering queue and having a residence time exceeding the minimal time delay variable;
• e) applying to the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue a second selection operation, the second selection operation being characterized by a maximal time delay variable that defines a maximal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said re-ordering queue, the second selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a residence time exceeding the maximal time delay variable irrespective of the sequence number of the data traffic unit;
• f) releasing data traffic units located by the either one of the first and the second selection operations.

A computer readable storage medium including a program element suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for manipulating data traffic units transmitted in a network to reduce a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units, said computing apparatus comprising:

• a) a memory unit for storing a re-ordering queue for receiving the data traffic units;
• b) a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for implementing:
• i) an input for receiving a stream of data traffic units in a potentially miss-ordered condition, each data traffic unit being associated to a respective sequence number;
• ii) a re-ordering module for re-ordering the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue on a basis of the sequence number of each data traffic unit for reducing a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units;
• iii) a selector module for:
• (i) applying to the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue a first selection operation, the first selection operation being characterized by a minimal time delay variable that defines a minimal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said re-ordering queue, the first selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a sequence number indicating that the data traffic unit precedes all the other data traffic units in said re-ordering queue and having a residence time exceeding the minimal time delay variable;
• (ii) applying to the data traffic units in the re-ordering queue a second selection operation, the second selection operation being characterized by a maximal time delay variable that defines a maximal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said re-ordering queue, the second selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a residence time exceeding the maximal time delay variable irrespective of the sequence number of the data traffic unit;
• iv) an output for releasing data traffic units located by the selector module.

An apparatus for manipulating data traffic units transmitted in a network to reduce a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units, said apparatus comprising:

• a) means for receiving a stream of data traffic units in a potentially miss-ordered condition, each data traffic unit being associated to a respective sequence number;
• b) means for storing the data traffic units;
• c) means for re-ordering the data traffic units in the storing means on a basis of the sequence number of each data traffic unit for reducing a level of miss-ordering of the data traffic units;
• d) means for applying to the data traffic units in the storing means a first selection operation, the first selection operation being characterized by a minimal time delay variable that defines a minimal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said storing means, the first selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a sequence number indicating that the data traffic unit precedes all the other data traffic units in said string means and having a residence time exceeding the minimal time delay variable;
• e) means for applying to the data traffic units in the storing means a second selection operation, the second selection operation being characterized by a maximal time delay variable that defines a maximal residence time of a data traffic unit prior to release of the data traffic unit from said storing means, the second selection operation being applied to locate a potential data traffic unit having a residence time exceeding the maximal time delay variable irrespective of the sequence number of the data traffic unit;
• f) means for releasing data traffic units located by the either one of the first and the second selection operations.