Atm cell conversion circuit and atm cell conversion method

Abstract

Sending priority of plural stages is statically assigned according to a quality class and an output connection, and the sending priority is dynamically changed according to a state of sending request stacking every sending priority and a state of ATM cell conversion processing of a frame, and ATM cell conversion request means for issuing an ATM cell conversion request is provided every output route, and the cell conversion processing of the frame is selected and performed in the order of higher sending priority every time one cell conversion.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a memory to store data frames;   a plurality of queues to:
 store transmit requests associated with the data frames stored in the memory; and control logic to: 
 set an initial priority for each of the stored transmit requests, 
 change the initial priority for a stored transmit request of the stored transmit requests, to obtain a changed priority, based on a timer value associated with a data frame of the data frames associated with the stored transmit request, and 
 schedule the stored transmit request based on the changed priority. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , where, when setting an initial priority for a first transmit request, of the stored transmit requests, associated with a first data frame of the stored data frames, the control logic is to set the initial priority for the first transmit request based on a quality class associated with the first data frame. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , where, when changing the initial priority, the control logic is to increase the initial priority for the stored transmit request based on the timer value increasing. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 processing logic to:
 process the data frames associated with the transmit requests in an order based on priorities of the transmit requests. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , where the timer value indicates an amount of time that has elapsed from when the processing logic receives a request to process the data frame associated with the transmit request until the processing logic begins processing the data frame. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , where, when processing the data frames, the processing logic is to:
 divide each of the data frames into portions having a predetermined size.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  15 , where, when changing the initial priority, the control logic is further to:
 determine if a number of stored transmit requests having a first priority exceeds a particular number, and   increase the priority of the transmit requests having the first priority when the number exceeds the particular number.   
     
     
         22 . A method, performed by a device, the method comprising:
 storing, in a memory associated with the device, data frames;   setting, by a processor of the device, a priority for each of a plurality of transmit requests associated with the data frames stored in the memory; and   changing, by the processor, the priority for at least one of the transmit requests, to obtain a changed priority, based on a timer value, and   scheduling, by the processor, the at least one of the stored transmit requests based on the changed priority.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , where setting the priority for each of the plurality of transmit requests associated with the data frames includes setting the priorities based on quality classes associated with the data frames. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , where changing the priority includes increasing the priority for the at least one of the transmit requests based on the timer value increasing. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 processing the data frames associated with the plurality of transmit requests in an order based on priorities of the transmit requests.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , where the timer value indicates an amount of time that has elapsed from when a request to process a first data frame associated with a first transmit request is received until processing of the first data frame begins. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , processing the data frames includes dividing each of the data frames into portions having a predetermined size. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  22 , where changing the priority comprises:
 determining whether a number of transmit requests having a first priority exceeds a particular number, and   increasing the priority of the transmit requests having the first priority when the number exceeds the particular number.   
     
     
         29 . A network device, comprising:
 a memory to store data frames; and   a processor to:
 set an initial priority for each of a plurality of transmit requests associated with the stored data frames, and 
 change the initial priority for at least one of the transmit requests based on a timer value, and 
 schedule the at least one transmit request based on the changed priority. 
   
     
     
         30 . The network device of  claim 29 , where, when setting the initial priority for each of the plurality of transmit requests associated with the stored data frames, the processor is to set the initial priority for the plurality of transmit requests based on quality classes associated with the stored data frames. 
     
     
         31 . The network device of  claim 29 , where, when changing the initial priority, the control logic is to increase the initial priority for the at least one of the transmit requests based on the timer value increasing. 
     
     
         32 . The network device of  claim 29 , where the processor is further to:
 process the data frames associated with the transmit requests in an order based on priorities of the transmit requests.   
     
     
         33 . The network device of  claim 32 , where the timer value indicates an amount of time that has elapsed from when the processor receives a request to process a data frame associated with a transmit request until the processor begins processing the data frame. 
     
     
         34 . The network device of  claim 32 , where, when processing the data frames, the processor is to:
 divide each of the data frames into portions having a predetermined size.