Thomas Matthew Manning

US Patent:

6452903, Sep 17, 2002

Filed:

May 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/583608

Inventors:

David N. Peck - Northbridge MA
Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX

International Classification:

H04L 1228

US Classification:

370235, 370230, 3702411

Abstract:

Network interface logic includes first logic executing a credit-based flow-control protocol (e. g. , Quantum Flow Control or QFC) and second logic executing a rate-based flow control protocol (e. g. Explicit Rate or ER). The second logic transfers data cells between a network link and the first logic and inserts and extracts forward (FRM) and backward (BRM) flow-control/resource management (RM) cells. The second logic further (i) obtains cell buffer utilization information from the first logic, (ii) supplies transmission credits to the first logic based on rate information in BRM cells, (iii) induces the first logic to emit âdummyâ RM cells when an RM cell is to be transmitted, and (iv) converts the dummy cells to either FRM or DRM cells for forwarding on the link. Rate information in the transmitted RM cells is calculated from the buffer utilization information and rate information in extracted BRM cells.

US Patent:

6483807, Nov 19, 2002

Filed:

Mar 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/270580

Inventors:

Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA
David N. Peck - Northbridge MA
Robert Constantin - Cambridge MA
David E. Hammond - Bedford NH
Andrew Michal - Windham NH
Stephen R. Veit - Chesterfield MO

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX

International Classification:

G01R 3108

US Classification:

370236, 370396, 370400, 370410, 709238

Abstract:

Each switch along a call setup path in a network decides whether the call request should be upgraded from a non-flow-controlled service type to a flow-controlled service type. Each switch bases the decision on whether a boolean variable for the calling subscriber that appears in a management information base (MIB) is set to a value indicating that the subscriber is entitled to the upgrade. In addition, the upgrade is performed only if an interface on the route to the called party on which the call setup request is to be forwarded supports flow-controlled connections. When the call is to be upgraded, the switch replaces the service type indicator in the setup message with a value indicating a flow-controlled service type, and forwards the setup message toward the called subscriber. If the MIB variable is set to a value indicating that the upgrade is not to be performed, it is still possible for a subscriber to request flow-controlled service directly, by indicating this service type in the original call setup message. Each switch also makes a call downgrade decision.

US Patent:

6539025, Mar 25, 2003

Filed:

Mar 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/268500

Inventors:

Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA
Stephen A. Caldara - Sudbury MA
Stephen A. Hauser - Burlington MA
Matthias L. Colsman - Cologne, DE

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX
Fujitsu Limited - Kawasaki

International Classification:

H04L 1228

US Classification:

370414, 370235

Abstract:

An Asynchronous Transfer Mode switch and method which facilitate priority arbitration of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint transmission are disclosed. To execute point-to-multipoint operation a bandwidth arbiter maintains a first list of connections and bit vectors indicating designated destination ports. The list maintained by the bandwidth arbiter is then compared to an unassigned output port bit vector to determine matches therebetween at which point-to-multipoint transmission may be made by utilizing instantaneously unused bandwidth within the switch. To execute point-to-point operation each input port maintains a list of connections associated with each output port, and those lists are used in conjunction with output port request information per input port in the bandwidth arbiter to match requests to the unassigned output port bit vector. The bandwidth arbiter may also assign priority to connections in the list.

US Patent:

6581121, Jun 17, 2003

Filed:

Feb 22, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/790836

Inventors:

Sean Garcen - Hudson MA
Thomas A. Manning - Northborough MA
Stephen A. Caldara - Sudbury MA
Edward N. Kittlitz - Maynard MA

Assignee:

Telica, Inc. - Marlboro MA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

710300, 710302, 700 3

Abstract:

A system and method for monitoring and maintaining a plurality of modules are described. Each module of the plurality of modules includes at least one link slave device, and a link controller is connected to link slave devices via a plurality of individual serial, bidirectional connections. The link slave devices and the link controller include protocol logic for communication according to a bidirectional protocol. At predefined time segments and predefined periodicity, the link slave devices drive the corresponding bidirectional link to the controller to provider maintenance information to the controller. At other predefined time segments, the controller drives the bidirectional link to issue commands to the link slave devices. The link slave devices and the link controller include protocol logic for communicating according to a protocol in which all slave devices communicate to the link controller at substantially the same period of time so that the latency for collecting information from the slave devices is independent of the number of such devices.

US Patent:

6628668, Sep 30, 2003

Filed:

Mar 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/270950

Inventors:

Peter Hutzli - Acton MA
David N. Peck - Northbridge MA
Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX

International Classification:

H04J 316

US Classification:

370468, 37039521, 37039541

Abstract:

A system for allocating bandwidth in a network element. The system determines whether a bandwidth allocation request is associated with a delay sensitive connection type. If so, the system selects a bandwidth allocation algorithm from a first set of bandwidth allocation algorithms. Otherwise, the system selects a bandwidth allocation algorithm from a second set of bandwidth allocation algorithms. The size of the bandwidth allocation request may be examined when selecting which bandwidth allocation algorithm to use. The system may round up the size of the bandwidth allocation request to a predetermined value. The selected bandwidth allocation algorithm may reserve slots in a bandwidth allocation table. Reserved slots that are equally spaced in the bandwidth allocation table avoid undue delays in servicing an associated connection. A binary tree representation of the table is described, wherein leaves of the binary tree correspond to individual table slots.

US Patent:

6832331, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

Feb 22, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/788108

Inventors:

Thomas A. Manning - Northborough MA
Stephen A. Caldara - Sudbury MA
Sean Garcen - Hudson MA

Assignee:

Telica, Inc. - Marlboro MA

International Classification:

G06F 1100

US Classification:

714 11, 714 12

Abstract:

A system for indicating and determining a master unit from a plurality of logic units is described. The system includes a first logic unit configured to output a first obey signal and receive a first input signal, and a second logic unit configured to output a second obey signal and receive a second input signal. At least one of the first obey signal and the second obey signal is clocked, and a phase relationship of the second obey signal relative to the first obey signal is controllable by the first and second input signals. The system also includes a mastership determination logic unit configured to monitor the first and second obey signals. The mastership determination logic unit is configured to indicate that the first logic unit is the master unit when only the first obey signal is being clocked and to indicate that the second logic unit is the master unit when only the second obey signal is being clocked. The mastership determination logic unit is also configured to indicate that the first logic unit is the master unit when the first and second signals are being clocked in-phase and to indicate that the second logic unit is the master unit when the first and second signals are being clocked out-of-phase. A method of similar features is also describe.

US Patent:

57815330, Jul 14, 1998

Filed:

Apr 22, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/847658

Inventors:

Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA
Stephen A. Hauser - Burlington MA
Stephen A. Caldara - Sudbury MA
Raymond L. Strouble - Charlton MA
Douglas H. Hunt - Sudbury MA

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX
Fujitsu Limited - Kawasaki

International Classification:

H04L 1256

US Classification:

370236

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for providing buffer state accounting at a link level, otherwise known as link flow control, in addition to flow control at the virtual connection level. Link flow control enables receiver cell buffer sharing while maintaining per-connection bandwidth with lossless cell transmission. High link level update frequency is enabled without a significant sacrifice in overall link forward bandwidth. A higher and thus more efficient utilization of receiver cell buffers is achieved.

US Patent:

59783591, Nov 2, 1999

Filed:

Jul 18, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/683348

Inventors:

Stephen A. Caldara - Sudbury MA
Stephen A. Hauser - Burlington MA
Thomas A. Manning - Northboro MA

Assignee:

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. - Richardson TX
Fujitsu Limited - Kawasaki

International Classification:

H04L 1256

US Classification:

370236

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for eliminating cell loss through the use of flow control of both allocated and dynamic bandwidth. When output buffers in the switch become filled to a predetermined threshold level a feedback message is provided to input buffers to prevent transmission of cells from the input buffers to the output buffers. In order to provide connection and traffic type isolation the buffers are grouped into queues and flow control may be implemented on a per queue basis. The feedback message is a digital signal including an ACCEPT/REJECT message and a NO-OP/XOFF message. An XOFF message can be received while transmitting via allocated bandwidth or dynamic bandwidth. In particular, an XOFF (allocated) message may be received with regard to allocated bandwidth and an XOFF (dynamic) message may be received with regard to dynamic bandwidth. When ACCEPT is received by the requesting input queue the cell is transferred to the output queue. When REJECT is received by the requesting queue the cell is not transferred.