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:
Jan. 20, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1999
Olivier Bonaventure, Gembloux, BE;
Alcatel, Paris, FR;
Abstract
A shaping method for use by a shaper in a communication network for converting an incoming data flow with an incoming data packet rate into an outgoing data flow with an outgoing data packet rate. The shaper includes a buffer which is leaked at the outgoing data packet rate in order to provide the outgoing data flow. The shaping method determines a value of a future incoming data packet rate of the incoming data packet rate, and determines a buffer occupancy value related to the number of data packets of the incoming data flow received by the buffer included in the shaper. The buffer is leaked at the outgoing data packet rate in order to provide the outgoing data flow. The shaping method also determines the value of the outgoing data packet rate as a function of the value of the future incoming data packet rate, the value of the buffer occupancy, the value of a predetermined peak data packet rate and the value of a predetermined minimum data packet rate. This determination enables the shaper to support a service category with a predetermined minimum guaranteed bandwidth according to the predetermined minimum data packet rate. This also allows the shaper to use excess bandwidth over the predetermined minimum guaranteed bandwidth up to the predetermined peak data packet rate.