Ericsson Ab

Marconi Communications Gmbh

Marconi Intellectual Property (ringfence), Inc.

Joseph A Hook

Fan Zhou

Ronald P Bianchini, Jr

Jeff Schulz

Jeremy William Horner

Veera Reddy

Veeranarayana A Reddy

Jeffrey Schulz

An apparatus and method for dynamic port updating that shares a resource which includes a configurable number of groups where each group has a configurable resource share size and a controller which chooses which group are active and the share size of the resource each active group is to have. The controller modifies which groups are active and the share size of the resource of each active group during operation of the apparatus without affecting or stopping the operation of the apparatus. The method includes the steps of the controller choosing which groups are active and a share size of the resource each active group is to have. There is the step of modifying with the controller which groups are active and the share size of the resource of each active group during operation of the apparatus without effecting or stopping the operation of the apparatus.

Dynamic port updating

An apparatus for storing data includes a memory having minimum guaranteed amounts of storage corresponding to connections. The apparatus includes a mechanism for changing dynamically the minimum guaranteed amount during use. The changing mechanism is connected to the memory.

Apparatus for storing data having minimum guaranteed amounts of storage

An apparatus for transferring data in a telecommunications network. The apparatus includes a memory in which a packet memory length is stored. The apparatus includes a mechanism for determining a link length for the packet that will be sent into the network based on the memory length and at least one parameter, where the link length correctly corresponds to the packet's physical line bandwidth usage in the network. The apparatus includes a mechanism for sending the packet having the link length to the network. A method for transferring data in a telecommunications network. The method includes the steps of storing in a memory a memory length of a packet. There is the step of determining a link length for the packet that will be sent into the network based on the memory length and at least one parameter, where the link length correctly corresponds to the packet's physical line bandwidth usage in the network There is the step of sending the packet having the link length to the network.

Accounting for link utilization in scheduling and billing

A switch includes a port card for receiving packets from and sending packets to a network. The switch includes a fabric connected to the port card for switching the packets. The fabric has memory controllers which perform logical functions and in which portions of the packets are stored. The fabric has stages for switching the portions of the packets. The fabric has a mechanism for propagated lockdown of each stage wherein each stage is idle a correct number of cycles and each memory controller performs the same logical functions the corresponding same logical cycles. A method for switching packets includes the steps of introducing idles a correct number of cycles in each stage of memory controllers in fabrics of a switch to maintain the fabrics in logical synchronization. Then there is the step performing with each memory controller in the fabrics same logical functions at corresponding same logical cycles.

Switch fabrics logical synchronization utilizing propagation lockdown

A switch for switching packets from a plurality of sources. The switch includes a memory in which portions of packets are stored. The switch includes a transferring mechanism which transfers predetermined portions of a packet to the memory as the predetermined portions are received. A method for switching packets. The method includes the steps of receiving portions of a packet at a transferring mechanism of a switch. Then there is the step of transferring predetermined portions of the packet to a memory of the switch as the predetermined portions are received at the transferring mechanism.

Long packet handling

A switch for a network. The switch comprises a memory mechanism in which portions of packets are stored. The switch comprises a mechanism for instituting changes to the memory mechanism while the memory mechanism continuously operating on packets. A method for switching packets. The method comprises the steps of receiving changes for a memory mechanism of a switch at a buffer of the switch. Then there is the step of implementing the changes to the memory mechanism when the memory mechanism receives an implementation signal while the memory mechanism continuously operates on packets.

Synchronous dynamic register updating across a distributed system

A switch for switching packets in a network. The switch includes port cards which send packets to and receive packets from the network. The switch includes fabrics connected to the port cards for switching portions of the packets. Each fabric has queues in which portions of packets are stored. Each queue corresponds to one of the port cards. Each fabric has a determining mechanism which determines which queue the portions of the packet should be placed in. The detecting mechanism is dynamic to reflect changes in port card quantity without any change in connection data of the packets. A method for switching packets in a network.

Dynamic queue utilization

An apparatus for storing data of transactions includes a memory having a plurality of queues having locations where the data is stored, and shared memory. Each queue of the plurality of queues has a minimum threshold of the memory which the queue is guaranteed to have for use which no other queue of the plurality of queues can use, and a maximum threshold of the memory which the queue can use, when the maximum threshold is greater than the minimum threshold. The apparatus includes an admitting mechanism for admitting the data to the locations in the memory. The admitting mechanism having a first block of logic which is used to calculate the minimum threshold and the maximum threshold for each queue, and a single centralized block of logic to contain calculations for determining whether or not the shared memory can support a transaction. The first block of logic and the centralized block of logic independent of each other. The apparatus includes a managing mechanism for managing and identifying which locations the data is to be stored in the memory. The managing mechanism is connected to the memory. The apparatus includes a buffer for storing the data the admitting mechanism has admitted for storage in the memory until the managing mechanism has identified which location the data is to be stored in the memory. The buffer is connected to the admitting mechanism, the managing mechanism and the memory. A method for storing data.

Method and apparatus for storing data using a plurality of queues

An apparatus for transferring packets. The apparatus includes a memory. The apparatus includes an accumulation mechanism in which packets are stored until they are to be placed in the memory. The accumulation mechanism is connected to the memory. The apparatus includes a controller connected to the memory and the accumulation mechanism which controls when packets in the accumulation mechanism are transferred to the memory. The controller prevents any packet in the accumulation mechanism from remaining in the accumulation mechanism indefinitely. A method for transferring packets. The method includes the steps of receiving packets at an accumulation mechanism. Then there is the step of controlling when packets in the accumulation mechanism are transferred to a memory by a controller. Next there is the step of preventing with the controller any packet in the accumulation mechanism from remaining in the accumulation mechanism indefinitely. Then there is the step of transferring packets from the accumulation mechanism to a memory.

Method and apparatus for transferring packets to a memory

A switch of a network connected to a switch control processor. The switch includes port cards which receive packets from and send packets to the network. The switch comprises a switch control processor for providing control information. The switch includes fabrics for switching the packets. The fabrics receive control information from the switch control processor but all the fabrics only implement the control information at a same logical time when each fabric receives a control initiation signal from one of the port cards. Each respective fabric continuously operating on packets before, during and after each respective fabric receives the control initiation signal. A method for switching packets. The method includes the steps of receiving packets at a port card of a switch from a network. Then there is the step of sending fragments of each packet to fabrics of the switch. Then there is the step of distributing control information from a switch control processor to the fabrics of the switch as the port card continues to receive packets. Next there is the step of receiving a control initiation signal from a switch control processor through the network at the port card. Then there is the step of sending the control initiation signal from the port card to the fabrics. Next there is the step of implementing the control information at each fabric only after the respective fabric receives the control initiation signal so all the fabrics implement the control information at the same time.

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Baden, PA, United States of America

Joseph A Hook