Methods and apparatus for reorganizing cells buffered after transmission

A method of reorganizing cells received over data communication lines at a receive node, the cells having an initial order identified by monotonically increasing sequence identifiers, the receive node having buffers associated with respective ones of the communication lines, and each of the buffers having an output position, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier from one or more cells at the output positions of the buffers;
• determining if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to a specified sequence identifier;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier, dequeuing the cell having the smallest sequence identifier from an output position of one of the buffers and redefining the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell;
• wherein the step of detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier further comprises the steps of:
• when an output position of at least one buffer receives a new cell, determining if a sequence identifier of the new cell is less than the smallest sequence identifier;
• if the sequence identifier of the new cell is less than the smallest sequence identifier, redefining the smallest sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the new cell;
• and
• when at least one of the sequence identifier of the new cell is not less than the smallest sequence identifier and the smallest sequence identifier is set equal to the sequence identifier of the new cell, awaiting a next new cell at an output position of at least one buffer;
• and
• wherein the steps are performed at least in part by a processor.

A method of reorganizing cells received over data communication lines at a receive node, the cells having an initial order identified by monotonically increasing sequence identifiers, the receive node having buffers associated with respective ones of the communication lines, and each of the buffers having an output position, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier from one or more cells at the output positions of the buffers;
• determining if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to a specified sequence identifier;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier, dequeuing the cell having the smallest sequence identifier from an output position of one of the buffers and redefining the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell;
• wherein the step of detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier further comprises the steps of:
• polling an output position of at least one buffer to define a polled sequence identifier;
• determining if the polled sequence identifier is less than the smallest sequence identifier;
• if the polled sequence identifier is less than the smallest sequence identifier, redefining the smallest sequence identifier as the polled sequence identifier;
• and
• continuously repeating the polling, determining and redefining steps for each of the buffers;
• and
• wherein the steps are performed at least in part by a processor.

A receive node for reorganizing cells received over data communication lines, the receive node comprising buffers associated with respective ones of the data communication lines, each of the buffers having an output position, and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

• detect a cell having a smallest sequence identifier from one or more cells at the output positions of the buffers;
• determine if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to a specified sequence identifier;
• if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier, dequeue the cell having the smallest sequence identifier from an output position of one of the buffers and redefine the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is not sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier:
• determine if the smallest sequence identifier is less than the specified sequence identifier;
• if the smallest sequence identifier is less than the specified sequence identifier, discard the queued cell with the smallest sequence identifier;
• if the smallest sequence identifier is not less than the specified sequence identifier and at least one buffer is empty, await a cell having a sequence identifier sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is greater than the specified sequence identifier and at least one buffer is not empty, dequeue the cell with the smallest sequence identifier, and redefine the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell.

A receive node for reorganizing cells received over data communication lines, the receive node comprising buffers associated with respective ones of the data communication lines, each of the buffers having an output position, and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

• detect a cell having a smallest sequence identifier from one or more cells at the output positions of the buffers;
• determine if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to a specified sequence identifier;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier, dequeue the cell having the smallest sequence identifier from an output position of one of the buffers and redefine the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell;
• wherein detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier further comprises:
• when an output position of at least one buffer receives a new cell, determining if a sequence identifier of the new cell is less than the smallest sequence identifier;
• if the sequence identifier of the new cell is less than the smallest sequence identifier, redefining the smallest sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the new cell;
• and
• when at least one of the sequence identifier of the new cell is not less than the smallest sequence identifier and the smallest sequence identifier is set equal to the sequence identifier of the new cell, awaiting a next new cell at an output position of at least one buffer.

A receive node for reorganizing cells received over data communication lines, the receive node comprising buffers associated with respective ones of the data communication lines, each of the buffers having an output position, and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

• detect a cell having a smallest sequence identifier from one or more cells at the output positions of the buffers;
• determine if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to a specified sequence identifier;
• and
• if the smallest sequence identifier is sequentially consecutive to the specified sequence identifier, dequeue the cell having the smallest sequence identifier from an output position of one of the buffers and redefine the specified sequence identifier as the sequence identifier of the dequeued cell;
• wherein detecting a cell having a smallest sequence identifier further comprises:
• polling an output position of at least one buffer to define a polled sequence identifier;
• determining if the polled sequence identifier is less than the smallest sequence identifier;
• if the polled sequence identifier is less than the smallest sequence identifier, redefining the smallest sequence identifier as the polled sequence identifier;
• and
• continuously repeating the polling, determining and redefining steps for each of the buffers.