Scheduling for flows in a point-to-multipoint communications network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9660932-B2
Application number	US-201514591607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 7, 2015
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes allocating by a scheduler a transmission opportunity to each of one or more flows listed in a tracking table associated with the a scheduler; and, for each of the one or more flows, sending a bandwidth allocation message to a network element associated with the flow in accordance with a schedule maintained by the scheduler, wherein the bandwidth allocation request is unsolicited by the network element; and determining whether the flow optimized use of the transmission opportunity in accordance with an allocation policy implemented by the scheduler. The method further includes adjusting the schedule in accordance with results of the determining for each of the one or more flows. In certain embodiments, the allocating may comprise allocating an equal transmission opportunity to each of the one or more flows.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
allocating by a scheduler a transmission opportunity to each of one or more flows listed in a tracking table associated with the scheduler;
for each of the one or more flows:
sending a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element associated with the flow in accordance with a schedule maintained by the scheduler, wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message is unsolicited by the network element and grants to the network element the transmission opportunity allocated by the scheduler; and
determining whether the flow optimized use of the transmission opportunity in accordance with an allocation policy implemented by the scheduler; and
adjusting the schedule in accordance with results of the determining for each of the one or more flows;

wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message includes information regarding the transmission opportunity, the information comprising timing of the transmission opportunity, length of the transmission opportunity, and a type of data that may be transmitted during the transmission opportunity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the allocating comprises allocating an equal transmission opportunity to each of the one or more flows.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending comprises sending a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element in a sequential order as indicated in the tracking table.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the adjusting, for each of the one or more flows, sending a new bandwidth allocation MAP message to the network element associated with the flow in accordance with the adjusted schedule.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message comprises a MAP grant.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scheduler is incorporated into a Cable Modem Termination System (“CMTS”).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network element comprises a cable modem.

8. Non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:
allocating by a scheduler a transmission opportunity to each of one or more flows listed in a tracking table associated with the scheduler;
for each of the one or more flows:
sending a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element associated with the flow in accordance with a schedule maintained by the scheduler, wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message is unsolicited by the network element and grants to the network element the transmission opportunity allocated by the scheduler; and
determining whether the flow optimized use of the transmission opportunity in accordance with an allocation policy implemented by the scheduler; and

adjusting the schedule in accordance with results of the determining for each of the one or more flows;
wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message includes information regarding the transmission opportunity, the information comprising timing of the transmission opportunity, length of the transmission opportunity, and a type of data that may be transmitted during the transmission opportunity.

9. The media of claim 8 , wherein the allocating comprises allocating an equal transmission opportunity to each of the one or more flows.

10. The media of claim 8 , wherein the sending comprises sending a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element in a sequential order as indicated in the tracking table.

11. The media of claim 8 further comprising, after the adjusting, for each of the one or more flows, sending a new bandwidth allocation MAP message to the network element associated with the flow in accordance with the adjusted schedule.

12. The media of claim 8 , wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message comprises a MAP grant.

13. The media of claim 8 , wherein the scheduler is incorporated into a Cable Modem Termination System (“CMTS”).

14. The media of claim 8 , wherein the network element comprises a cable modem.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a memory element configured to store data; and
a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data;
wherein the apparatus is configured to:
allocate using a scheduler a transmission opportunity to each of one or more flows listed in a tracking table associated with the scheduler;
for each of the one or more flows:
send a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element associated with the flow in accordance with a schedule maintained by the scheduler, wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message is unsolicited by the network element and grants to the network element the transmission opportunity allocated by the scheduler; and
determine whether the flow optimized use of the transmission opportunity in accordance with an allocation policy implemented by the scheduler; and

adjust the schedule in accordance with results of the determining for each of the one or more flows;

wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message includes information regarding the transmission opportunity, the information comprising timing of the transmission opportunity, length of the transmission opportunity, and a type of data that may be transmitted during the transmission opportunity.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the allocating comprises allocating an equal transmission opportunity to each of the one or more flows.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the sending comprises sending a bandwidth allocation MAP message to a network element in a sequential order as indicated in the tracking table.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising, after the adjusting, for each of the one or more flows, sending a new bandwidth allocation MAP message to the network element associated with the flow in accordance with the adjusted schedule.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the bandwidth allocation MAP message comprises a MAP grant.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the network element comprises a cable modem.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bernstein Alon

Classifications

• H04L47/806 Primary

  Broadcast or multicast traffic · CPC title

• H04B3/00

  Line transmission systems (combined with near-field transmission systems H04B5/00) · CPC title

• H04L47/828

  Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users · CPC title