Distributed traffic scheduler

摘要

A traffic scheduler controls despatch of assembled packets or cells at an adaptation interface of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network supporting a plurality of ATM traffic classes on two or more ATM adaptation layers. The scheduler comprising a distributed hierarchy of individual traffic schedulers one or more at each layer of the hierarchy each dedicated to its own traffic class. An aggregate traffic output at one layer in the hierarchy forms an input to the next layer. The lower level layers of the hierarchy are incorporated in a common part sublayer device and provide feedback to higher layers to control the flow of traffic during periods of congestion.