US 7,356,722 B2 · Variably delayable transmission of packets between independently clocked source, intermediate, and destination circuits while maintaining orderly and timely processing in one or both of the intermediate and destination circuits

Abstract

In a system having independently-clocked job-performing circuits (e.g., payload processors) and independently-clocked job-ordering circuits (e.g., request and payload suppliers), coordinating mechanisms are provided for coordinating exchanges between the independently-clocked circuits. The coordinating mechanisms include those that use transmitted time-stamps for scheduling contention-free performances within the job-performing circuits of requested jobs. The coordinating mechanisms additionally or alternatively include static and dynamic rate constraining means that are configured to prevent a faster-clocked one of the independently-clocked circuits from overwhelming a more slowly-clocked other of the independently-clocked circuits. In one implementation, independently-clocked telecommunication-shelves house a distributed set of line cards and switch cards. An asynchronous interconnect is provided between the independently-clocked shelves for carrying job requests and payload data between the distributed line cards and the distributed switch cards. The multi-shelf system is scalable and robust because additional or replacement line and switch cards may be inserted into one or another of the independently-clocked shelves as desired and because a unified clock-tree is not needed for synchronizing activities within the interconnected, but independently clocked shelves.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A rates balancing method for balancing effective data exchange rates for purpose of continuous sustainability between an independently-clocked job requestor and an independently-clocked, job processor,

where the job requestor sends to the job processor, requests for respective processings of job payloads which are supplied from the job requestor to the job processor, and
where in response to at least some of said sent requests, the job processor sends to the job requestor corresponding indications of request grants,
where the job processor exhibits an average grant-issuing rate,
where the job requestor exhibits a request-issuing rate, said rates balancing method being machine implemented and comprising:
(a) statically constraining the average grant-issuing rate of the job processor to be no greater than a sustainable average grant-receiving rate which is continuously sustainable by the job requestor;
and
(b) dynamically constraining the request-issuing rate of the job requestor to be no greater than a sustainable average request-receiving rate which is continuously sustainable by the job processor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Variably delayable transmission of packets between independently clocked source, intermediate, and destination circuits while maintaining orderly and timely processing in one or both of the intermediate and destination circuits

Life of this patent

Variably delayable transmission of packets between independently clocked source, intermediate, and destination circuits while maintaining orderly and timely processing in one or both of the intermediate and destination circuits

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19