US Patent 7099275 Programmable multi-service queue scheduler

A system and method for scheduling data utilizes a number of queues for receiving data. A programmable criteria table comprises a number of entries each associated with one of the queues. The entries of the criteria table comprise programmable traffic parameters selected to associate the queues with particular traffic characteristics governing a flow of data through the queues. A programmable mapping table maps each of the queues to one of the criteria table entries. The criteria table is programmable independently from the mapping table. A scheduling period timer produces epoch time signals that define scheduling time periods. The scheduling of queues changes between scheduling time periods in accordance with the traffic parameters associated with the queues. The scheduling time period is dynamically programmable. The traffic parameters are dynamically programmable to alter a scheduling prioritization of the queues.