Method and apparatus for implementing communication service contract using cell arrival information

Patent 5570360 Issued on October 29, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 20, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Stratacom, Inc.

Application

No. 407906 filed on 03/20/1995

US Classes:

370/232, Based on data flow rate measurement370/412Queuing arrangement

Examiners

Primary: Marcelo, Melvin
Assistant: Carman, Melissa Kay

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP

International Class

H04L 012/54

Abstract

To simplify the service decision made in a queue based digital switch, a method and apparatus is introduced that makes service decisions based upon the history of incoming cells. The apparatus includes a minimum service rate circuit that monitors the rate of arriving cells. The minimum service rate circuit tests the arriving cells to determine if they are in conformance with the minimum service rate of a service contract. The minimum service rate circuit may use a continuous state leaky bucket algorithm as specified in the CCITT Recommendation I.371 document, dated 1992, to determine if a cell is in conformance with the minimum service rate of the service contract. When a cell arrives that conforms to the minimum service rate, the minimum service rate circuit notifies the server and the server serves the queue associated with the connection.