US 7,680,126 B2 · Two-dimensional pipelined scheduling technique

Abstract

A scheduler and method for scheduling packet forwarding operations is provided. Packet forwarding request information associated with a first set of input port/output port combinations is received. Packet forwarding request information associated with a second set of input port/output port combinations different from the first set of input port/output port combinations is received, where the first set of input port/output port combinations and the second set of input port/output port combinations are selected to not conflict with each other. Packet forwarding for both the first set of input port/output port combinations at a first future time slot and the second set of input port/output port combinations at a second future time slot are simultaneously scheduling at a first scheduler and a second scheduler, respectively, based on the received packet forwarding request information. Reservation information for the first set of input port/output port combinations and the second set of input port/output port combinations is transferred to adjacent schedulers based on a module pattern, where the adjacent schedulers are responsible for scheduling additional sets of input port/output port combinations for the first and second future time slots, respectively.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method performed by a packet switching system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the packet switching system, packet forwarding request information associated with a first set of input port/output port combinations;
receiving, by the packet switching system, packet forwarding request information associated with a second set of input port/output port combinations different from the first set of input port/output port combinations, where the first set of input port/output port combinations and the second set of input port/output port combinations are selected to not conflict with each other;
simultaneously scheduling at a first scheduler and a second scheduler of the packet switching system, respectively, packet forwarding for both the first set of input port/output port combinations at a first future time slot and the second set of input port/output port combinations at a second future time slot based on the received packet forwarding request information;
and
transferring reservation information for the first set of input port/output port combinations and the second set of input port/output port combinations to adjacent schedulers based on a module pattern, where the adjacent schedulers are responsible for scheduling additional sets of input port/output port combinations for the first and second future time slots, respectively.

2 more elements

A scheduler for scheduling packet forwarding connections between a number of input ports and a number of output ports, comprising:

a first scheduling module, implemented using hardware, to schedule switching of a first set of input port/output port combinations included in a plurality of input port/output port combinations during a first future time slot based on packet forwarding request information associated with respective input port/output port combinations, the first scheduling module to output reservation information relating to the a first set of input port/output port combinations to a scheduling module adjacent to the first scheduling module;
and
a second scheduling module, implemented using hardware, to schedule switching of a second set of input port/output port combinations included in the plurality of input port/output port combinations during a second future time slot, in parallel to the scheduling operation performed by the first scheduling module, based on the packet forwarding request information associated with respective input port/output port combinations, the second scheduling module to output reservation information relating to the second set of input port/output port combinations to a scheduling module adjacent to the second scheduling module;
where the first and second sets of input port/output port combinations are selected such that the respective input ports and output ports included within the first and second sets of input port/output port combinations do not conflict with each other.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Two-dimensional pipelined scheduling technique

Life of this patent

Two-dimensional pipelined scheduling technique

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14