Patent attributes
A network traffic shaper for shapping transmission of network messages includes a system time generator for generating a system time, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for computing a transmission start time for each network message in response to the system time, and a retrieve time generator adapted to increment a retrieve time at a rate faster than the system time. As network messages are received, they are stored in a queue along with an associated transmission start time for each message. A forwarding trigger transmits a store network messages when its associated transmission start time matches the retrieve time. Alternately, a second transmission start time representing an excess bandwidth transmission start time may be computed for each network message. If excess bandwidth is detected, a message may be transmitted when its second transmission start time matches the retrieve time.
