Multiplex communications – Diagnostic testing – Determination of communication parameters
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-02
2001-11-06
Cangialosi, Salvatore (Department: 2661)
Multiplex communications
Diagnostic testing
Determination of communication parameters
C370S412000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314087
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for performing data communication, and more particularly, to a method for determining a traffic priority order on a network that is suitable for efficient data transmission in accordance with multimedia data characteristics and normal data characteristics, regardless of increases in local area network (LAN) traffic.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, due to increases in the amount of traffic communicated over networks, rapid increases in load have been experienced. Consequently, delays have been experienced in transmissions of multimedia data, such as moving picture data, which require real time processing.
Conventional networks typically communicate data based on a first-in-first-out protocol. A conventional method fox determining a priority order for traffic communicated over a network will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1
is a schematic block diagram illustrating a relationship between a switching hub and respective stations on a network. As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the network includes a switching hub
11
and a plurality of stations
12
that are connected to the switching hub
11
for data communication. stations
12
that are connected to the switching hub
11
for data communication.
Software
11
a
is mounted in the switching hub
11
to control the hub. The software
11
a
transfers data received from a source station
12
to a random destination station in accordance with a priority order.
A network interface card (NIC)
12
b
and a software driver
12
a
are mounted in each station
12
. The NIC
12
b
enables data communication with the switching hub
11
. The software driver
12
a
controls the NIC
12
b.
As illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the switching hub
11
includes a memory
11
b
for temporarily storing data received from a source station
12
, a controller
11
c
for controlling the memory
11
b
, and a plurality of Ethernet interfaces
13
connected in parallel to the controller
11
c
for converting data to comply with a protocol for data communication between source and destination stations
12
. The Ethernet interfaces
13
convert data received from the software driver
12
a
, which is mounted in the respective station
12
, into a format complying with Ethernet protocol.
The operation of the aforementioned network will be described below.
When data is simultaneously transmitted from stations A and C to station B, the switching hub
11
initially transfers data from only station A to station B. The data transferred from station C is temporarily stored in the memory
11
b
and subsequently transferred to station B after the transmission of data from station A to station B has been completed.
On the other hand, if the data transferred from station A has been temporarily stored in the memory
11
b
, data can be transferred from station C to station B prior to transmission of the data stored in memory
11
b
. When data transmission from station C to station B is completed, the data from station A that has been stored in the memory
11
b
can be transferred to station B.
Priority order that is used to control whether data from station A or station C will be given priority for transfer to station B is determined based on the sequence of data received by switching hub
11
.
FIG. 3
is a flow chart illustrating a conventional method for determining a traffic priority order for a network. As illustrated in
FIG. 3
, data that is received by the memory
11
b
from a plurality of stations
12
(
101
) is read in the sequence received.
It is then determined whether or not a destination station can receive data (
102
). If the destination station can receive data, the data read from the memory
11
b
is transferred to the destination station (
103
). It is then determined whether or not the transmission of data being transferred in step
103
has been completed (
104
). If not completely transmitted, data transmission continues Once completely transmitted, data subsequently received by the memory
11
b
is read (
105
).
The data transmission between the respective stations can be performed by the above-described steps.
However, the conventional method for determining traffic priority order on a network has several problems. For instance, when the data processing is performed based only on the sequence of arrival to the memory, without regard for regular priority order, urgent and non-urgent multimedia data are not distinguished. Consequently, unacceptable delays are experienced by urgent multimedia data. Specifically, data that requires real time processing is not given priority over other less urgent data, such as E-mail that does not cause any problems even if data transmission is delayed are processed. For this reason, problems are experienced in real time processing of multimedia data, diminishing network efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method for determining traffic priority order on a network that substantially obviates one or more of the problems caused by limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for determining a traffic priority order for a network, which method is suitable for efficient data transmission in accordance with respective data characteristics by promptly processing multimedia data.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and specifically described, a method for determining a traffic priority order for data to be transmitted over network according to the present invention includes the steps of detecting information including at least one of a traffic generating frequency and a size of data to be transferred between respective stations, granting priority order to data based on the detected information, determining whether a destination station is ready to receive data, reading data from a memory based on an associated priority order, and transferring the read data to the destination station when the destination station is ready to receive data. A higher priority order is granted when a higher information is detected. Specifically, the priority order is granted by comparing the detected information to a threshold, and granting a most significant priority order to data when the detected information exceeds the threshold. When multiple data have been granted a same priority order, the priority order among those data is changed based on an order that the data is received for transmission.
The data to be transmitted between respective stations is determined to be multimedia data if the detected information is greater than the threshold, and normal data if the detected information is lower than the threshold.
The present invention also includes an apparatus for determining a traffic priority order for data to be transmitted over a network, capable of performing the above-described steps.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
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patent: 5644573
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Cangialosi Salvatore
Hyundai Electronics Industries Co,. Ltd.
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