Method for scheduling ATM cells and a device having ATM cell scheduling capabilities

A method for scheduling a transmission of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, the method comprises:

• receiving at a communication controller an indication that a session for scheduling ATM cells in the communication controller starts;
• in response to receiving the indication, selecting, by the communication controller, a channel representative queue of a plurality of channel representative queues, the plurality of channel representative queues being associated with a multiple queue channel, wherein the plurality of channel representative queues are each associated with a different quality of service traffic thread of the multiple queue channel;
• selecting from a scheduling table a particular set of entries from among a plurality of sets of entries, wherein:
• each set of entries of the plurality of sets of entries is associated with a different channel having a different transmission priority level;
• a first set of entries of the plurality of sets of entries includes a first link to a first channel transmission parameter table associated with the multiple queue channel;
• and
• a second set of entries of the plurality of sets of entries include a second link to a second channel transmission parameter table associated with a single queue channel;
• and
• in response to selecting the particular set of entries, transmitting, by the communication controller, an ATM cell.