Abstract: A network processor or other processing device of a communication system includes scheduling circuitry configured to schedule data blocks for transmission from a plurality of users or other transmission elements in timeslots of a frame. The scheduling circuitry utilizes a mapping table. The mapping table comprises at least one entry specifying a mapping between a particular timeslot of the frame and a particular one of the transmission elements. The scheduling circuitry determines a particular transmission element to be scheduled in a given timeslot by accessing a corresponding mapping table entry to identify the particular transmission element. The mapping table is stored in a compressed format in memory circuitry associated with the scheduling circuitry. More specifically, the mapping table is stored as a compressed mapping table in which a particular entry identifies one of a plurality of stored values which is processed to determine a corresponding uncompressed mapping table entry.

Abstract: A network processor or other processing device of a communication system includes scheduling circuitry configured to schedule data blocks for transmission from a plurality of users or other transmission elements in timeslots of a frame. The scheduling circuitry utilizes a weight table and a mapping table. The weight table comprises a plurality of entries, with each of the entries identifying a particular one of the transmission elements. The mapping table comprises at least one entry specifying a mapping between a particular timeslot of the frame and an entry of the weight table. The scheduling circuitry determines a particular transmission element to be scheduled in a given timeslot by accessing a corresponding mapping table entry and utilizing a resultant value to access the weight table.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for per-service flow protection and restoration of data in one or more packet networks. The disclosed protection and restoration techniques allow traffic to be prioritized and protected from the aggregate level down to a micro-flow level. Thus, protection can be limited to those services that are fault sensitive. Protected data is duplicated over a primary path and one or more backup data paths. Following a link failure, protected data can be quickly and efficiently restored without significant service interruption. A received packet is classified at each end point based on information in a header portion of the packet, using one or more rules that determine whether the received packet should be protected. At an ingress node, if the packet classification determines that the received packet should be protected, then the received packet is transmitted on at least two paths.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) staggered constant bit rate cell scheduling. Cells from a plurality of virtual circuits are scheduled. Each of the virtual circuits have a transmission characteristic and each of the plurality of virtual circuits are classified into one of a plurality of stagger groups based on similar transmission characteristics. For each frame synchronization, a cell is transmitted from a given virtual circuit until a predefined cell threshold is exceeded for the stagger group containing the given virtual circuit. A Cell Delay Variation of each of the virtual circuits will not exceed a given time interval. A scheduler can be allocated for each connection or for each period.

Abstract: Backpressure information is communicated from a physical layer device to a link layer device in a communication system by generating a flow control message in the physical layer device responsive to a detected condition relating to at least a given one of a plurality of queues of the physical layer device, and transmitting the flow control message from the physical layer device to the link layer device. The flow control message may comprises backpressure information associated with a given egress queue of the physical layer device and is transmitted from the physical layer device to the link layer device as an in-band message over an interface between the physical layer device and the link layer device. Multiple-rate traffic shaping or other types of traffic shaping may be provided responsive to the flow control message.