Apparatus and method for channel assignment of packet flows

A packet transmission system arranged to receive a flow of packets, a plurality of the packets having a corresponding flow classification indication, the transmission system comprising:

• a plurality of transmission channels;
• a flow classification reader that operates to determine a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow and at least one subsequent flow classification indication associated with a subsequent packet of the flow;
• and
• channel assignment logic that operates to assign the flow to a fast one of the plurality of transmission channels with use of the first flow classification indication, to determine if a change channel test is passed with use of the subsequent flow classification indication and to re-assign the flow to a second one of the plurality of transmission channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indication if the change channel test is passed.

A method for dynamically assigning a flow of packets to one of a plurality of channels, a plurality of the packets having corresponding flow classification indications, the method comprising:

• reading a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow;
• assigning the flow to a first one of the plurality of channels with use of the first flow classification indication;
• reading subsequent flow classification indications associated with subsequent packets of the flow;
• determining if the assigned first channel for the flow needs to be changed with use of the subsequent flow classification indications;
• and
• if the assigned first channel for the flow needs to be changed, re-assigning the flow to a second one of the plurality of channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indications.

A computer readable memory arranged to store a channel assignment software that can be run on a computing apparatus that receives a flow of packets, a plurality of the packets having corresponding flow classification indications, the channel assignment software when running on the computing apparatus operating to:

• read a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow;
• assign the flow to a first one of a plurality of channels with use of the first flow classification indication;
• read subsequent flow classification indications associated with subsequent packets of the flow;
• determine if the assigned first channel for the flow should be changed with use of the subsequent flow classification indications;
• and
• if the assigned first channel for the flow should be changed, re-assign the flow to a second one of the plurality of channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indications.

A packet transmission system arranged to receive a flow of packets, a plurality of the packets having a corresponding flow classification indication, the transmission system comprising:

• a plurality of transmission channels, each transmission channel of the plurality of transmission channels having a different bandwidth;
• a flow classification reader that operates to determine a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow and at least one subsequent flow classification indication associated with a subsequent packet of the flow;
• and
• channel assignment logic that operates to assign the flow to a first one of the plurality of transmission channels with use of the first flow classification indication, to determine if a change channel test is passed with use of the subsequent flow classification indication and to re-assign the flow to a second one of the plurality of transmission channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indication if the change channel test is passed.

A method for dynamically assigning a flow of packets to one of a plurality of channels, a plurality of the packets having corresponding flow classification indications, the method comprising:

• reading a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow;
• assigning the flow to a first one of the plurality of channels, each channel of the plurality of channels having a different bandwidth, with use of the first flow classification indication;
• reading subsequent flow classification indications associated with subsequent packets of the flow;
• determining if the assigned first channel for the flow needs to be changed with use of the subsequent flow classification indications;
• and
• if the assigned first channel for the flow needs to be changed, re-assigning die flow to a second one of the plurality of channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indications.

A computer readable memory arranged to store a channel assignment software that can be ma on a computing apparatus that receives a flow of packets, a plurality of the packets having corresponding flow classification indications, the channel assignment software when running on the computing apparatus operating to:

• read a first flow classification indication associated with a first packet of the flow;
• assign the flow to a first one of a plurality of channels, each channel of the plurality of channels having a different bandwidth, with use of the first flow classification indication;
• read subsequent flow classification indications associated with subsequent packets of the flow;
• determine if the assigned first channel for the flow should be changed with use of the subsequent flow classification indications;
• and
• if the assigned first channel for the flow should be changed, re-assign the flow to a second one of the plurality of channels with use of the subsequent flow classification indications.