Conflict resolution in data stream distribution
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for data stream distribution with conflict resolution, whereby data streams are transmitted bi-directionally, such that first data stream connection units ( 104 a - 104 n ) and second data stream connection units ( 105 a - 105 m ) serve as both input and output connections. A distribution unit ( 100 ), essentially comprises a matrix switching unit ( 101 ), first intermediate buffer units ( 106 a - 106 n ) and second intermediate buffer units ( 107 a - 107 m ). Information is firstly evaluated in the cell head, which, together with information on the availability of intermediate buffer units, determine when a present data stream cell may be transmitted to a relevant output connection unit.
1. A circuit arrangement for data stream distribution, the circuit arrangement comprising:
a distributor device having
a matrix switching unit,
a first temporary buffer unit in communication with the matrix switching unit, and
a second temporary buffer unit in communication with the matrix switching unit;
a first data stream connection unit in communication with the first temporary buffer unit, the first data stream connection unit being configured to receive a data stream having a data stream cell, the data stream cell running in an opposing data stream direction and including a back pressure determination field and a back pressure bit vector field;
a second data stream connection unit in communication with said respective second temporary buffer unit for receiving a data stream;
a first access unit for providing communication between the first data stream connection unit and the respective first temporary buffer units, said first access unit being configured to buffer data; and
a second access unit for providing communication between the second data stream connection unit and the respective second temporary buffer unit, said second access unit being configured to buffer data.
2. The circuit arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the matrix switching unit comprises twenty-four inputs and twenty-four outputs.
3. The circuit arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first data stream connection unit comprises at least one connection for a data line.
4. The circuit arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the second data stream connection unit comprises at least one connection for a data line.
5. The circuit arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising optical supply lines in data communication with the first and second data stream connection units.
6. The circuit arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the first data stream connection unit is configured to receive a data stream having a data stream cell in the form of a fixed length data packet.
7. The circuit arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the distributor device comprises a router at a switching center.
8. A method for distributing data streams, the method comprising:
providing a first data stream to a first data stream connection unit connected to a first access unit configured to buffer data;
providing a second data stream to a second data stream connection unit connected to a second access unit configured to buffer data;
buffering the first data stream in a first buffer
buffering the second data stream in a second buffer
determining that a predetermined threshold value of one of the first and second buffers is exceeded;
forming an opposing data stream cell running in an opposing data stream direction, the opposing data stream cell including a back pressure determination field and a back pressure bit vector field;
in part on the basis of information in the opposing data stream cell, distributing the first and second data streams in a manner that avoids a data stream conflict.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising temporarily buffering data cells such that neither the first data stream connection unit nor the second data stream connection unit receives more than one data cell in a particular cell time slot.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising performing data alignment with buffer blocks in one of the first and second data stream connection units.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
in part on the basis of information contained in a device determination field and an access-unit determination field of a data stream cell running in a forward direction, routing the data stream cell to a particular distributor device and a particular data stream connection unit.