Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related node for outputting packets from a playout buffer in a node in a packet-switched network including one or more of the following: configuring a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) pseudowire terminating at the node; receiving a plurality of fixed-length packets transmitted over the TDM pseudowire; adding the plurality of fixed-length packets to the playout buffer such that the playout buffer reaches a current fill level; inserting at least one dummy packet into the playout buffer, wherein a total length of the at least one dummy packet is equal to a target fill level of the playout buffer minus the current fill level and the target fill level represents a minimum fill level required before output of packets from the playout buffer; and outputting the plurality of fixed-length packets and the at least one dummy packet from the playout buffer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are scheduling techniques for transmitting time-critical data in a cost-aware manner over a network comprising a plurality of heterogeneous transmission interfaces. The scheduling problem is formulated as a linear programming problem with the deliver-by deadlines of the various data blocks as hard constraints and minimizing cost set as an objective (soft) constraint. The problem is simplified by assuming data blocks with the earliest deadlines should be scheduled first and the most aggressive interfaces should be used first. To formulate the linear programming problem, the time domain is divided into bins and various bin-level schedules are enumerated for switching the transmission of the data over various transmission interfaces. The linear programming techniques are applied to the various bin configurations and the least costly of the resulting transmission schedule is selected for submission to a switching layer.

Abstract: Shared network path contention can be reduced by limiting the number of contending client devices to which pending requests may be outstanding. Contention may also be reduced by managing available downstream bandwidth based on request size and managing available upstream bandwidth based on estimated response size. Portions of available downstream and/or upstream bandwidth may also be allocated to groups of one or more applications from which requests may be received, and the allocated portions may be configured to vary over time.

Abstract: A switch in a data communications network for performing traffic generation in addition to standard switching and routing operations is disclosed. The switch uses a fixed number of test packets retained in a conventional switch buffer to produce one or more infinite packet streams transmitted to a router under test (RUT). The switching device enqueues packets in the priority queues, dequeues the packets from the priority queues, transmits the dequeued packets to the RUT, and re-enqueues a copy of the dequeued packets into the priority queues from which they were dequeued. The enqueued packets and associated pointers to packets are organized into linked lists. By re-writing a copy of each dequeued packet to the tail of a linked list and updating the pointers, the switch produces repeatable streams of test packets. The priority buffers, without the re-write operation, may also be used for conventional egress traffic.

Abstract: A computer program, method, and apparatus that manage reservation of IT resources for efficient use thereof. Upon receipt of a reservation request, an IT resource finder identifies IT resources that are available for reservation in a period specified in the request. Subsequently a vacant period finder identifies vacant periods containing the specified reservation period, based on the reservation records of each IT resource. Out of the found vacant periods, an idlest period selector then selects an idlest period that offers a largest number of available IT resources. From among a set of IT resources whose vacant periods agree with the idlest period, an IT resource selector selects an appropriate resource to serve the given reservation request. A reservation registration processor then registers the reserved IT resource with the reservation data repository as determined by the IT resource selector.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed relating to multicast address signaling for power save delivery in a wireless network. According to an example embodiment, a wireless node may transmit a management frame (e.g., a PSMP frame) to identify a scheduled data transmission time for one or more receiver nodes in a wireless network. The management frame, for example, may include a number of fields relating to a multicast transmission, such as one or more of a first field set to a value indicating a multicast transmission, a second field identifying a multicast address, a third field identifying a time for the multicast transmission, and a fourth field identifying a duration for the multicast transmission.

Abstract: In a method for terminating a plurality of ATM lines for a base station modulator/demodulator in a mobile communication system for data communication between upper stations and a base station by a transmission method wherein ATM cells are mapped utilizing an existing leased line as a physical medium sublayer, when an increase in capacity of the base station necessitates leased line interfaces corresponding to a plurality of upper stations, processing is carried out in such a manner that leased line numbers are added to respective HEC regions of ATM cells sent from each upper station into a leased line interface section, whereby the addition of the function of the leased line interface section involved in an increase in the leased line can be minimized and the additional function can be simply designed utilizing a conventional technique.

Abstract: An instant service method and apparatus for deficit-round-robin (DRR) data packet scheduling are provided. The method includes servicing a current flow according to packet scheduling; activating a new flow according to an input of a new data packet; servicing the new flow immediately when the current flow service is completed; and servicing a next flow when the new flow service is completed. The apparatus includes a packet memory; a flow information storage; an active list processor; a main controller; and an output part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing and receiving a plurality of services via a single channel in a mobile communications system is provided, by which a plurality of the services can be effectively provided via the single channel.

Abstract: An indicator signal monitoring process receives the sequential transmission of an indicator signal that is repeatedly broadcast by a primary intended recipient of attributable security interest messages. A recipient offline determination process determines that the primary intended recipient is offline whenever the indicator signal is not received for a defined failure period.

Abstract: There is provided a transmitting apparatus for transmitting data, which includes: compressing means compressing data to be transmitted; packetizing means packetizing the data compressed by the compressing means; a buffer for accumulating the data which are packetized; transmitting means transmitting the data accumulated in the buffer; clearing means clearing the buffer at each time that a predetermined time is lapsed; number-of-data counting means counting the number of the data which are not transmitted within the predetermined time; time measuring means measuring a transmission idle time which lasts from a transmission completion time to a clearing time, in a case where all of the data accumulated in the buffer are transmitted before the predetermined time is lapsed; and compression controlling means controlling a compression rate of the data, depending on the number of the data counted or the transmission idle time measured.

Abstract: A technique for managing traffic within a network processor integrated circuit (IC) involves establishing multiple queue groups, associating a different hardware counter with each queue group, and then using the hardware counters to support rate shaping and scheduling of all of the queues in the queue groups. For example, 512 queue groups of thirty-two queues each queue group are established for a total of 16,384 (16 k) different queues and a different hardware counter is associated with each queue group for a total of 512 hardware counters. The group-specific hardware counters are used to implement hardware-based rate shaping and scheduling of all 16 k queues in a resource efficient manner that supports high throughput, e.g., on the order of 40 Gbps.

Abstract: A wireless communication device that performs packet transmission in accordance with a packet transmission system that performs wireless bandwidth allocation by virtual carrier sensing has a time-point management section that manages the time-point and outputs current time-point information, and a parameter management section that manages a parameter relating to packet transmission right acquisition priority.

Abstract: A network device for processing packets. The network device includes a memory management unit for storing packets and performing resource checks on each packet and an egress module for performing packet modification and transmitting the packet to a destination port. The memory management unit includes a timer for indicating that a free space should be created on a bus slot between the memory management unit and the egress module, wherein the free space is used for transmitting CPU instructions from the memory management unit to the egress module.

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 selected as a result of a search process being executed on a plurality of calendars in the calendar status array.

Abstract: A method for scheduling transmissions to a plurality of users in a communication network determines a satisfaction metric and a dissatisfaction metric for each user in a given timeslot that is to be used for a next scheduled transmission to one of the users. Each user is assigned a weight based on a value of at least one of the user's satisfaction metric, the user's dissatisfaction metric and a rate requested by the user. The use having the highest weight is selected to be served the next scheduled transmission in the given timeslot.

Abstract: A buffer management method based on a bitmap table includes: dividing the bitmap table into a plurality of areas each containing at least one bit; determining and recording an idleness status of each of the areas in accordance with an unoccupied status of the bit in the area; and performing a management on a buffer address pointer in accordance with the recorded idleness status of each of the areas. The entire inventive procedure of allocating a buffer address pointer is fixed and easily controllable, and the RAM consumed for management on each buffer element including at least a 1-bit buffer space is approximately 1 bit, with a relatively fewer resources being consumed. The invention can enable that it takes two clock cycles on average to complete one procedure of allocating a buffer address pointer, and thus the efficiency in allocating and reclaiming a buffer address pointer is high, and the controllability during buffer management is improved.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for improving or optimizing the frequency at which the keep-alive messages are exchanged between a network device (e.g., network server) and a remote device (e.g., a PC) behind a router or gateway. By improving or optimizing the frequency at which these messages are exchanged, the amount of network bandwidth that is consumed as a result of the exchange of keep-alive messages can be reduced. This allows a network device to remotely access a remote device in a very efficient manner in terms of the number of keep-alive messages that are generated and processed and in terms of bandwidth consumption.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for improving or optimizing the frequency at which the keep-alive messages are sent to a network device (e.g., an Internet service platform) from a set top box (STB) connected to a router or gateway. By improving or optimizing the frequency at which these messages are sent by the STB to the network device, the amount of network bandwidth that is consumed as a result of sending keep-alive messages can be reduced. This allows a network device to remotely and asynchronously access a STB in a very efficient manner in terms of bandwidth consumption.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a wireless LAN system and a signal collision avoidance method for the wireless LAN system, which can avoid the collision of signals between a wireless LAN system initiating communication at fixed intervals and a wireless LAN system initiating communication after waiting for the vacancy of a channel. According to the present invention, when it is recognized that there is a no signal section between a downlink phase and an uplink phase upon scheduling of a communication frame, a scheduler part 6 performs scheduling for putting a NAV setup signal, which covers the no signal section, behind the downlink phase in accordance with instructions from a NAV setup signal generating part 8, and transmits the same. It can prevent any station in an IEEE802.11a wireless LAN system from transmitting data in the no signal section, and hence avoid the collision of signals within the period of the uplink phase.

Abstract: An end point controller includes two of ingress/egress port pairs. A first one of the ingress/egress ports is adapted to send and receive one of a pair of types of information packets and a second one of the ingress/egress ports is adapted to send and receive the other one of the pair of types of information packets. A controller is coupled to the two port pairs for coupling one of ingress/egress ports to an input/output port selectively in accordance with the type of the information packet on the ingress/egress ports and the availability of the end point controller to a network. One of the egress ports is directly coupled to the output port to the network if the information packet is at such port and the end point controller has been granted access to the network while other information at the pair of egress ports is buffered prior to being coupled to the output.

Abstract: In a computer system including a set of resources for allocation to, and access by, a plurality of consumers, a method for allocating a resource to a requesting consumer comprising: calculating a suitability rating for each resource in the set of resources as a value in a range from least suitable to most suitable, the suitability rating being calculated from: a) a measure of recency of access to the resource; b) a measure of a number of times the resource has been accessed by a consumer other than the requesting consumer since a previous access to the resource by the requesting consumer; and c) a measure of a number of times the resource is accessed by a different consumer since the previous access to the resource by the requesting consumer; identifying a resource having a suitability rating which is closest to most suitable; and allocating the identified resource to the requesting consumer.

Abstract: An ATM network traffic shaper is implemented in hardware. The traffic shaper shapes transmit data on one or more virtual circuits (VCs) according to the specified quality of service (QoS) parameters. Thus, the traffic shaper provides for the delivery of associated data cells in accordance with the specified QoS parameters. The traffic shaper is scalable in that the number of supported VCs can be increased with a relatively small increase in the size of the device and associated logic gates. The traffic shaper supports constant bit rate (CBR), variable bit rate (VBR), and unknown bit rate (UBR) service types and generates cell transmit requests with zero cell delay variation (CDVT). The traffic shaper also provides very high resolution in terms of bit rate specification. Varying shaping resolutions are achieved by varying a shaping interval time (SIT) generated by a SIT counter.

Abstract: A scheduler is adapted to schedule packets or other data blocks for transmission from a plurality of transmission elements in timeslots of a frame in a communication system. In scheduling for a given frame, the scheduler determines eligible numbers for respective ones of the transmission elements that are eligible to transmit one or more data blocks in a given frame. The eligible numbers are initialized using a common designated integer value n, where n is a finite value greater than or equal to two. The scheduler selects from those of the transmission elements having eligible numbers within a particular range at least one of the transmission elements for scheduling in a next available timeslot. The scheduler then adjusts the eligible number(s) of the selected transmission element(s), and repeats the selecting and adjusting operations for one or more remaining timeslots of the given frame.

Abstract: A medium access control (MAC) architecture reduces transmission latency for data block retransmissions. A plurality of data blocks are received and temporarily stored in a first memory (e.g., queue, buffer). The plurality of data blocks are then transmitted. A determination is made as to whether each of the transmitted data blocks was received successfully or needs to be retransmitted because the data block was not received successfully. Each of the transmitted data blocks that needs to be retransmitted is marked and temporarily stored in a second memory having a higher priority than the first memory. The marked data blocks are retransmitted before data blocks stored in the first memory.

Abstract: A method for dynamic bandwidth allocation in Passive Optical Network (PON), said PON includes a OLT and a plurality of ONUs accessing to the OLT, comprising: classifying traffic which is to be communicated between the OLT and the ONUs into a plurality of service types, and granting a different priority to each type of the services; authorizing service ports of every type of services to transmit service data in descending sequence of said priorities of the services, and recording granting information of the service ports obtained from the authorization; reading out said granting information of every to-be-granted service port of a same ONU; and scheduling granted start time of data transmission of every to-be-granted port of current ONU, generating downlink granting messages including both said granting information and said granted start time of data transmission of every granted port of said current ONU, transmitting said downlink granting messages to said current ONU.

Abstract: The present invention relates to communicating control information in a mobile communication system, by which new control information can be transmitted more quickly. The present invention comprises transmitting a first data block comprising control information for transmitting first data when no resources for the transmission of the first data are available, receiving second data from an upper layer to be transmitted, wherein the second data has a higher priority than the first data, and transmitting a second data block comprising updated control information for transmitting the first and second data when no resources for the transmission of the first and second data are available.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium, involving (a) sending a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include (i) a request signal space including request segments each having a different location within the request signal space and (ii) a scheduled transmission signal space including scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment, (b) obtaining an assignment, in a first tier of assignments, associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment, (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request, and (d) the plurality of scheduled transmission segments including at least one default use segment available for use by a default entity if the at least one default use segment is not assigned in the first tier of assignments.

Abstract: A method for establishing communication schedules for a distributed real-time computer system comprising nodal computers, wherein: a) a grid (RAS) is created, which contains all of the parameters necessary to enable basic communication between nodes (KR1 . . . KR5) of a cluster (CLU); b) nodal communication schedules (KPG; KP1, KP2) for all nodes planned to be used as invariant components (KR2; KR2, KR3) are derived from the grid (RAS) and all parameters of the grid are copied and node-specific parameters are added; and c) cluster communication schedules (CP1, CP2; CL1, CL2) are derived from the nodal communication schedules (KPG; KP1, KP2), which contain, in addition to all parameters of the grid and the node-specific parameters of the invariant components, those parameters which are relevant to the remaining nodes of the cluster.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technology for processing packets, such as VoIP packets, with priority. A priority-designating unit designates priority information based on header information. A pointer searching unit refers to a pointer table to obtain pointer information corresponding to a destination address. A sorting unit sorts the pointer information into a high-priority queue and a low-priority queue according to the priority information. A next queue holds pointer information obtained from a destination information table. A scheduler extracts and outputs the pointer information from each queue in the following order of priority: the next queue, a high-priority queue, and a low-priority queue.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium, involving (a) sending an initial request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include (i) a request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space and (ii) a scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the initial request sent in an initial request segment, (b) obtaining a request assignment associating the initial request with at least one follow-up request segment, (c) from the first node, sending a follow-up request in the at least one follow-up request segment, (d) obtaining a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment, and (e) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment.

Abstract: A sending node (405) is adapted for communication with several receiving nodes (410, 420) by transmitting information in the form of a regular data packet to at least one intended receiving nodes, said sending node comprising—means to receive, identify and store a priori information in feedback from receiving nodes (410, 420); —means (905) for forming a composite data packet from at least two regular data packets, said means arranged to use a priori information from said a priori information storage module (910) and to determine which multiple individual data packets to retrieve from a buffer module (920) for use in the composite data packet, said means being arranged to form a composite data packet from which the intended receiving node for each of the at least two regular packets can decode the composite packet to obtain at least one packet intended for it.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for packet prioritization based on delivery time expectation. Exemplary embodiments include receiving a packet for routing, estimating a TimeToDestination for the packet, the estimating performed by a Internet Control Message Protocol, reading a TimeToDeliver field from each the Internet Protocol Header of the packet to extract data on when the packet needs to be at the destination, determining a MaxQueueDelay for the packet, the MaxQueueDelay calculated by subtracting the TimeToDeliver from the TimeToDestination, passing a lower priority packet if the lower priority packet has a lower MaxQueueDelay, and decrementing the TimeToDeliver by an amount of time the network router has had the packet in the queue before passing the packet to a next router, thereby communicating to the next router how much time is left before the packet must be delivered.

Abstract: The embodiments of the invention relate to video streaming, particularly to quality-aware adaptive and selective transmissions. The embodiments of the present invention provide for a set of scheduling patterns to be evaluated, and from such set determine the target scheduling pattern that is calculated to provide the least distortion increment based on the evaluation set.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to techniques for supporting transition between network communication protocols in a communication network. The techniques may be applicable to different network communication protocols, but are especially useful in the transition from the IPv4 communication protocol to the IPv6 communication protocol in a wireless communication network. In general, to reduce consumption of scarce IPv4 address during the transition period, a network communication device implementing a dual IPv4/IPv6 stack acquires an IPv4 address only when necessary to communicate with IPv4 resources on the network. The network communication device uses an IPv6 address at the start of a communication session, and does not acquire an IPv4 address unless a need arises later in the session for communication with an IPv4 resource. The IPv4 address may be acquired for a limited period of time, such as fixed period of time or a period of actual usage, to further promote availability of IPv4 addresses.

Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus comprises a transmission buffer configured to store packets addressed to one or more communication nodes in the network until a transmission timing; a requesting interval determination unit configured to determine a listen interval for each of the communication nodes based on the amount and/or the priority of packets accumulated in the transmission buffer; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a request frame to each of the communication nodes to request the communication nodes to receive a beacon from the wireless communication apparatus at the determined listen interval.

Abstract: This invention discloses a service scheduling unit and the method thereof, which performs scheduling for the packet service that comes from the line unit and the data service access processing unit in the digital communication system, and the service scheduling unit includes: a mapping module, a de-mapping module, an encapsulating module, a decapsulating module and a packet scheduling module. After entering the service scheduling unit, the services needing to be scheduled go through the mapping/de-mapping module and the encapsulating/decapsulating module, arrive at the scheduling module for final scheduling This method of scheduling the services can achieve the 1+1 or 1:1 protect function of the service scheduling module. The usage of this method can achieve different granularities of the mapping/de-mapping, different protocol encapsulating and can efficiently decrease the total cost of the system.

Abstract: A switching device of NoC (Networks on Chip) system and a scheduling method thereof. The switching device has a switching part having a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, and a scheduler for setting a transmission route between the input ports and the output ports, determining the length of code based on the number of input ports having the data among the plurality of input ports, and assigning a predetermined code of the determined code length to the input port and the output port corresponding to the set transmission route. Because the code length is adjustably varied according to the number of transmission packets, switch performance improves.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a data structure representing a schedule for a plurality of N resources, and apparatus, methods, and computer programs for generating and using the data structure, the data structure comprising: M records each representing a different one of M slots in the schedule, wherein M>1, wherein each of the M slots is allocated to one of the N resources, and wherein each of the M records comprises identifiers of the N ones of the M slots in the schedule allocated to a next occurrence of each of the N resources following the one of the M slots represented by the record, and an identifier of an order in which the N resources occur in the schedule following the one of the M slots represented by the record.

Abstract: A method and network element for marking data packets to be transmitted in a packet switched network with a priority information I, the packets being treated in the network according to the priority information I. The priority information I is calculated based on a required bit rate BSIO. The priority information I may be additionally calculated based on a nominal bit rate NBR and on a momentary bit rate MBR, such that a terminal device used with the network element is able to inform the network element in advance about the required bit rate.

Abstract: A communication processing apparatus that performs processing of transmitting streaming data includes a communication control portion examining the state of data communication and performing processing of changing priority information to be defined for send data based on the result of the examination, and a network interface performing processing of outputting data with the priority information. In this case, the communication control portion performs processing of setting a lower priority than a predetermined priority for the streaming data in the initial period of the transmission of streaming data, examination of the state of data communication in a lower-priority-setting period at an examination point functioning as predefined examination timing, and processing of changing the priority setting based on the result of the examination.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to operate a wireless user equipment, a wireless user equipment, a computer program product, and an apparatus. The method includes, in response to operation during a Baseline Procedure when no absolute grant (AG) is received from a wireless network node, determining if there was a scheduled transmission in a previous transmission time interval of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process and, if there was, using a serving relative grant (SRG) and, if it is determined instead that there was not a scheduled transmission in the previous transmission time interval of the HARQ process, not using the SRG if it is determined that there was a scheduling information (SI) event alone in the previous transmission time interval of the HARQ process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for fully-distributed packet scheduling in a wireless network. The decoding algorithm with low-density parity-check code is applied in a transmission wireless network to achieve the fully-distributed packet scheduling. In the packet scheduling, only one wireless network node is needed to exchange information and communicate with its neighboring network nodes. Therefore, it is not necessary to estimate the signal to noise ratio, while being eye to eye among the neighboring network nodes. If the network load exceeds the network capacity, the present invention automatically eliminates the most difficult user to reduce the overall network load and diverts the resources to the surviving users.

Abstract: A system is provided for efficiently allocating a transmission period in a WLAN system. An access point (AP) transmits a PSMP message providing a downlink period and an uplink period provided to each station (STA), and at least one sub PSMP frame indicating a period of at least one of a downlink and an uplink for an STA requiring additional resource allocation. After exchanging data with the AP in the downlink and uplink periods provided by the PSMP frame, if there is a need for additional resource allocation, the STA receives the at least one sub PSMP frame and exchanges data with the AP in the period provided by the each sub PSMP frame.

Abstract: A MIMO communication system capable of adaptive user scheduling. The MIMO communication system comprises a transmitting terminal, which sends data frames containing at least channel estimation signal and user data, and at least one receiving terminal, which recovers the user data and generates corresponding feedback information. The feedback information comprises an optimal transmitting antenna set dedicated to the receiving terminal, the achievable channel capacity by each antenna within the antenna set, and the degradation factors caused by each of other unselected antennas to each of the selected antennas. Depending on the feedback information, the transmitting terminal generates scheduling information based on which the adaptive user scheduling is conducted. The scheduling information comprises the scheduled users, number of data streams supported by each scheduled user, and the corresponding transmitting antenna for each of the data streams.

Abstract: A communication mode which should be set to a mobile communication terminal having a function of switching between an autonomous mode and a scheduling mode is determined based on an amount of interference in each of the communication modes in the cell of a base station, and/or communication characteristics of each of the communication modes, and a signal indicating an amount of communication data notified from the mobile communication terminal. The base station then notifies the determined communication mode to the mobile communication terminal.

Abstract: Scheduling packet transmission. A plurality of data packets is received, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of data packets is associated with one media unit and comprises different quality information. Profit-to-size ratios or distortion-to-size ratios for the data packets are determined. A plurality of schedules of the data packets are determined utilizing dynamic programming for a plurality of data rates based at least in part on the profit-to-size ratios or distortion-to-size ratios.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating bandwidth of a wireless channel to different types of traffic includes partitioning the bandwidth of the wireless channel into a plurality of contention periods. Traffic flows are associated with access categories, and one or more of the access categories are assigned to each contention period. During at least one of the contention periods, traffic flows associated with a proper subset of the access categories contend for access to the wireless channel.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently delivering messages from a service provider to individual receiving devices in a unidirectional, multi-channel communications system that provides parallel distribution of information from the service provider to the receiving devices. The messages are transferred from the service provider to the receiving device only on an agreed-upon channel at an agreed-upon time, wherein each message is tagged with an address corresponding to the receiving device by the service provider and then transmitted by the service provider to the receiving device on the agreed-upon channel with the receiving device filtering the agreed-upon channel to detect the address and decode its messages. The agreed-upon channel and the agreed-upon time of message transfers are coordinated between the service provider and the receiving device prior to transferring the message from the service provider to the receiving device.

Abstract: An information processing system performs a plurality of tasks within a specific time interval. The system includes a bus, a plurality of processors which transfer data via the bus, and a unit for performing a scheduling operation of determining execution start timing of each of the tasks and at least one the processors which executes the tasks, based on cost information concerning a time required to perform each of the tasks and bandwidth information concerning a data transfer bandwidth required by each of the tasks, to perform the tasks within the specific time interval without overlapping execution terms of at least two tasks of the tasks, the two tasks requiring data transfer bandwidths not less than those of the others of the tasks.