Apparatus and method to coordinate calendar searches in a network scheduler

Abstract

A system that indicates which frame should next be removed by a scheduler from flow queues within a network device, such as a router, network processor, and like devices is disclosed. The system includes a search engine that searches a set of calendars under the control of a Finite State Machine (FSM), a current pointer and input signals from array and a clock line providing current time. The results of the search are loaded into a Winner Valid array and a Winner Location array. A final decision logic circuit parses information in the Winner Valid array and Winner Location array to generate a final Winner Valid Signal, the identity of the winning calendar and the winning location. Winning is used to define the status of the calendar in the calendar status array that is selected as a result of a search process being executed on a plurality of calendars in the calendar status array.