Transmission scheduling based on time slot positions

A scheduling method, comprising:

• providing a plurality of positions in a time slot, each of the positions providing an opportunity for a cell associated with a line to be transmitted;
• providing a number of locations corresponding to the number of positions in the time slot in a cell read sequence management table, the locations scheduling transmission of cells associated with lines at corresponding positions of the time slot;
• providing a schedule management table to store information identifying locations within the cell read sequence management table for cells associated with new lines based on transmission rates of the new lines, the schedule management table identifying a different location within the cell read sequence management table for at least some of the transmission rates;
• and
• identifying a location in the cell read sequence management table for a cell associated with a new line based on the information in the schedule management table.

An ATM device, comprising:

• means for providing a time slot with a plurality of positions, each of the positions providing an opportunity for an ATM line to be transmitted;
• means for providing a number of locations corresponding to the number of positions in the time slot in a cell read sequence management table, the locations scheduling transmission of ATM lines at corresponding positions of the time slot;
• means for providing a schedule management table to store information identifying locations within the cell read sequence management table for new lines based on transmission rates of the new lines, the schedule management table identifying a different location within the cell read sequence management table for at least some of the transmission rates;
• and
• means for scheduling a new line for transmission by identifying a location in the cell read sequence management table for the new line based on the information in the schedule management table.