MIDDLEWARE-BASED REAL-TIME COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

A middleware approach to implementation of real-time Ethernet that provides deterministic, i.e. predictable, communication services over the conventiona l Ethernet network is described. The invention resides above the network interface device and the device driver, yet below the system transport services and/or user applications. The middleware schedules and controls admission of data packets onto the network and guarantees the real-time constraints of the data packets once they are admitted. The invention prohibits collision of data streams during transmission of real-time data, y et may allow collisions during transmission of soft- or non-real-time data for improved utilization of bandwidth. The invention may further optimize bandwidth utilization by incorporating a quality of service definition into the scheduling determination.