US 9,071,460 B1 · Methods and apparatus for mapping data packets to a multi-packets cell

Abstract

A network method and apparatus configured to increase bandwidth efficiency using multiple packets cells (“MPC”) is disclosed. MPC, in one embodiment, includes a header, a payload, a first cell packet indicator (“CPI”) and a second CPI. The first CPI includes a first start of packet (“SOP”) field, a first end of packet (“EOP”) field, and a first length field. The first SOP field is used to indicate that the payload contains the first portion of a first packet and the first EOP field indicates that the payload contains the last portion of the first packet. The first length field indicates total number of bytes associated with the first packet that are stored in the payload. Similarly, the second CPI includes a second SOP field, a second EOP field, and a second length field, and it is used to track the second packet.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network device comprising:

a mapping block for packet mapping in a cell for a communication network;
wherein the cell includes,
a first cell packet indicator (“CPI”) configured to have a first start of packet (“SOP”) field, a first end of packet (“EOP”) field, and a first length field, wherein the first SOP field indicates the cell containing start of first packet, wherein the first EOP field indicates the cell containing end of the first packet, wherein the first length field indicates a portion of the first packet packed in the cell, wherein the portion of the first packet contains less number of bytes than total number bytes of the first packet;
and
a second CPI situated adjacent to the first CPI and configured to have a second SOP field, a second EOP field, and a second length field, wherein the second SOP field indicates the cell containing start of second packet, wherein the second EOP field indicates the cell containing end of the second packet, wherein the second length field indicates a portion of the second packet packed in the cell.

2 more elements

A method of packet packing in a communications network, comprising:

receiving a first packet for transmission;
identifying next available space for cell packing in a cell packing block (“CPB”) and determining a cell packet indicator (“CPI”) which is situated adjacent to at least one another CPI to indicate a location in the CPB in which at least a beginning portion of the first packet is to be packed;
packing at least a portion of the first packet into next available space of the CPB and setting a start of packet (“SOP”) field of the CPI to indicate that the beginning portion of the first packet is in the CPB, wherein packing at least a portion of the first packet includes packing less than total number of bytes of the first packet in the CPB;
setting an end of packet (“EOP”) field of the CPB to indicate that last portion of the first packet is in the CPB if packet size of the first packet is smaller than the available space in the CPB;
and
storing a value in a length field of the CPI to indicate a portion of the first packet that is packed in the CPB.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for mapping data packets to a multi-packets cell

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for mapping data packets to a multi-packets cell

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20