Abstract: This invention describes a method for controlling the creation of data paths of predefined capacity that is needed for timely forwarding of packets in networks where the switches maintain a common time reference. The invention describes a signaling controller that is responsive to a setup request by computing a route of switches for data transmission, and a transmission schedule, which consists of predetermined time frames in which the switches along the route may forward packets of said setup request. The invention describes a switch signaling controller, which operates in every switch and which sends and is responsive to messages regarding reserving and releasing bandwidth on the switch's ports. The invention describes a protocol by which end-stations, gateways, signaling controller, and switch signaling controllers communicate to establish paths of specified capacities; and algorithms for processing signaling messages and finding transmission schedule in the network.

Abstract: This invention describes a method for exchanging timing messages and data packets between switches of a network with a common time reference, and between end stations and switches of such a network, over an asynchronous sub-network. The method entails transmission of messages conveying the common time reference, and data packets that are sent responsive to the timing information and predetermined scheduled time intervals. The switches of the network maintain a common time reference, which is obtained either from an external source (such as GPS-Global Positioning System) or is generated and distributed internally. The time intervals are arranged in simple periodicity and complex periodicity (like seconds and minutes of a clock).

Abstract: This invention describes a method for transmitting and forwarding packets over a switching network using time information. The network switches maintain a common time reference, which is obtained either from an external source (such as GPS—Global Positioning System) or is generated and distributed internally. The time intervals are arranged in simple periodicity and complex periodicity (like seconds and minutes of a clock). A data packet that arrives to an input port is switched to an output port based on its order or time position in the time interval in which it arrives at the switch. The time interval duration can be longer than the time duration required for transmitting a data packet, in which case the exact position of a data packet in its forwarding time interval is predetermined. This invention provides congestion-free data packet switching for data packets for which capacity in their corresponding forwarding links and time intervals is reserved in advance.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for transmitting and forwarding packets over a packet switching network. The switches of the network maintain a common time reference, which is obtained either from an external source (such as GPS—Global Positioning System) or is generated and distributed internally. The time intervals are arranged in simple periodicity and complex periodicity (like seconds and minutes of a clock). A packet that arrives to an input port of a switch, is switched to an output port based on specific routing information in the packet header (e.g., IPv4 destination address in the Internet, VCI/VPI labels in ATM). Each switch along a route from a source to a destination forwards packets in periodic time intervals that are predefined using the common time reference. The time interval duration can be longer than the time duration required for transmitting a packet, in which case the exact position of a packet in the time interval is not predetermined.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for transmitting and forwarding packets from source nodes with variable bit rates (VBR) and how it can be integrated with other types of traffic, over a packet switching network. The sources can generate traffic with predefined average and peak rates. Packets enter the network in predefined time interval and are forwarded over each link inside the network within a periodic time interval if there is sufficient capacity. When arriving packets exceed predefined average capacity, packets are rescheduled for alternative time intervals or discarded. This invention facilitates congestion-free forwarding from one input port to multiple output ports, and consequently, from one source to multiplicity of destinations for packets within the predefined average rate. Such packets that are destined to multiple destinations reach all of their destinations in redefined time intervals and with delay jitter that is no larger than one time interval.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for interfacing a packet-switched network with real-time streams from various sources, such as circuit-switched telephony network sources. The network interfaces and gateways maintain a common time reference (CmR), which is obtained either from an external source (such as GPS—Global Positioning System) or is generated and distributed intemally. A data packet that is packetized at the gateway is scheduled to be forwarded to the network in a predfined time that is responsive to the common time reference. The invention relates, in particular, to timely forwarding and delivery of data packet between voice over IP (VoIP) gateways. Consequently, the invention provides a routing service between any two VoIP gateways where the end-to-end performance parameters, such as loss, delay and jitter, have deterministic guarantees. Furthermore, the invention enables gateway functions with minimum delay.