PACKET SWITCH INCLUDING USAGE MONITOR AND SCHEDULER

摘要

A packet switch for allocating access to a communication of network among a plurality of customers, each having an allotment of guaranteed accesses to the network, includes a queuing unit for maintaining a plurality of queue-sets, each of which accepts a data packet from a corresponding customer. The switch also include a usage monitor for monitoring the extent to which each customer has depleted his allotment of guaranteed access. The usage monitor and the queuing unit both communicate with a scheduler that retrieves a data packet for transmission on the network. The queue-set is selected on the basis of the usage information stored by the usage monitor.