Technique for supporting tiers of traffic priority levels in a packet-switched network

A method for handling traffic in a packet-switched, integrated services network which supports a plurality of different service classes, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving at a first arrival time (T1), a first packet, said first packet being associated with a first priority class of service (PP1);
• (b) receiving at a second arrival time (T2), a second packet, said second packet being associated with a second priority class of service (PP2);
• (c) calculating a respective priority index value for each received packet, said priority index value being a function of a difference between the arrival time and priority class of each respective packet;
• (d) enqueuing said first and second packets within a common data structure in an order based upon the priority index value of each respective packet;
• and
• (e) servicing queued packets within said data structure in an order based upon said priority index values.

A method for handling traffic in a packet-switched integrated services network which supports a plurality of different service classes, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a packet at an arrival time (T), said packet being associated with one of a plurality of different priority classes of service, said one priority class (PP) having a numeric value associated therewith;
• (b) assigning a respective priority index value to said received packet, wherein said priority index value is determined by calculating a difference between a product of said PP value and said T value;
• and
• (c) enqueuing said received packet within a sorted data structure in an order based upon its priority index value.

A computer program product for handling traffic in a packet-switched integrated services network which supports a plurality of different service classes, the computer program product comprising:

• at least one computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code comprising:
• computer code for determining an arrival time (T) and a service class priority value (PP) associated with a received packet;
• computer code for assigning a respective priority index value (Pindex) to said received packet, wherein said priority index value is calculated by subtracting a product of said PP value from said T value;
• and
• computer code for enqueuing said received packet within a sorted data structure in an order based upon said Pindex value.

A router for handling traffic in a packet-switched, integrated services network which supports a plurality of different service classes, the router comprising:

• means for determining an arrival time (T) and a service class priority value (PP) associated with a received packet;
• means for assigning a respective priority index value (Pindex) to said received packet, wherein said priority index value is determined by calculating a difference between a product of said PP value and said T value;
• and
• means for enqueuing said received packet within a sorted data structure in an order based upon said Pindex value.

A Cable Modem Termination System (CTMS) in a cable modem network for handling traffic in a packet-switched, integrated services network which supports a plurality of different service classes, the system comprising:

• means for determining an arrival time (T) and a service class priority value (PCM) associated with a received bandwidth request;
• means for assigning a respective priority index value (Pindex) to said received bandwidth request, wherein said priority index value is determined by calculating a difference between a product of said PCM value and said T value;
• and
• means for enqueuing said received bandwidth request within a sorted data structure in an order based upon said Pindex value.