Abstract: Where links between a port module and plural switch fabric slices are of various lengths, a cell is transmitted from the port module to a switch fabric slice in response to a grant. The transmission is delayed by an amount based on a link round trip delay (RTD) value for the corresponding link between the port module and the switch fabric slice, and a predetermined global delay value. As a result of this delay, the cell arrives at the switch fabric slice at a fixed number of cell times (equal to the global delay value) after issuance of the grant, independent of any link lengths.

Abstract: Where links between a port module and plural switch fabric slices are of various lengths, a cell is transmitted from the port module to a switch fabric slice in response to a grant. The transmission is delayed by an amount based on a link round trip delay (RTD) value for the corresponding link between the port module and the switch fabric slice, and a predetermined global delay value. As a result of this delay, the cell arrives at the switch fabric slice at a fixed number of cell times (equal to the global delay value) after issuance of the grant, independent of any link lengths.

Abstract: This invention is a method of and apparatus for implementing a service scheduling discipline to enable data devices efficient access to data resources. According to the invention, information identifying one or more data packets of each data batch is sorted into one or more of a plurality (N) of epoch queues, such that for each data batch, no information identifying more than a predetermined number (P) of data packets from a particular channel is inputted into each epoch queue. Each epoch queue is then cyclically served exhaustively by outputting the identified data packets to the facility. Data that cannot be placed in the epoch queues is temporarily placed in an overflow queue. The overflow queue data is subsequently sorted into the epoch queues and transmitted.

Abstract: A trunk circuit interfaces a multichannel data signal to a communication facility using a high priority queue (HPQ) memory, a low priority queue (LPQ) memory, and a data packet sorter including a separate LPQ counter for each data channel. Each LPQ channel counter keeps track of data packets from the associated channel which are stored in the LPQ memory. The packet sorter sorts data packets according to size. Small data packets from each channel which are smaller than a predetermined length are sorted for storage in the HPQ memory only when the associated LPQ channel counter is zero. Small data packets having a non-zero LPQ channel count and large data packets are stored in the LPQ memory. The trunk circuit first transmits data packets from the HPQ memory and then from the LPQ memory.