Shaping data packet traffic

摘要

According to some embodiments, a communication module 120 may be configured to transmit data packet traffic and a management module 110 may be configured to shape the data packet traffic transmitted by the communication module 120. The management module 110 may shape the data packet traffic by buffering data packets routed at different times to the communication module 120 based on at least one power management factor.

主权项

1. An apparatus for reducing electrical power consumption associated with data packet traffic, the apparatus comprising:
a communication module configured to transmit data packet traffic; and a management module configured to reduce electrical power consumption by shaping the data packet traffic to be transmitted by the communication module to: buffer data packets routed at different times to the communication module based on determining a transmit time period that is based on (i) a data processing rate, (ii) a latency tolerance defined as a number of time periods within which a first of the data packets needs to be transmitted, and (iii) a data transmission rate, and send buffered data packets to the communication module for transmission of the buffered data packets by the communication module within the determined transmit time period; and a decision engine to (i) determine a time period to buffer data packets based on the latency tolerance and the size of the first of the data packets, (ii) determine whether the data processing rate or the data transmission rate is slower each time a data packet is received or when a first data packet in a queue is received, (iii) based on the slower of the data processing rate and the data transmission rate, determine if a number of data packets being buffered is greater than a number of data packets that may be processed during a period that is equal to the latency tolerance, (iv) set a timer to the period equal to the data packet latency tolerance, and (v) start the timer when the management module receives a data packet and no data is currently being buffered wherein the management module buffers incoming data packets while the timer counts down and sends the buffered data packets to the communication module after the timer expires.