The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 15, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 24, 1997
Mahesh N. Ganmukhi, Carlisle, MA (US);
Prasasth R. Palnati, Waltham, MA (US);
Ascend Communications, Inc., Westford, MA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing virtual connection merging in an output port of a network switch are disclosed. In the event no completely assembled packets have been received and scheduled for transmission, a partially received packet is selected for cut-through transmission prior to receipt of all cells comprising the packet. Transmission of the selected packet is initiated and a timer is started. If the timer expires prior to the receipt of an end of packet indication for the packet for which transmission has commenced, and end of packet signal is generated and transmitted and the transmission of additional cells for the cut-through packet is aborted. In this manner, delays associated with packet reassembly may be avoided and buffer sizes of reassembly buffers may be reduced.