Importance

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Abstract

A packet based policing method and apparatus is disclosed which increases the throughput of a network by avoiding the waste of resources. The invention receives cells for a first packet at a node in a network, determines whether a non-conforming cell may be passed according to a running credit value, identifies whether a cell is conforming or non-conforming, passes the cell if the running credit value indicates that a non-conforming cell may be passed or if the cell is a conforming cell, borrows a cell credit if the credit value indicates that a non-conforming cell cannot be passed, wherein the borrowing of the cell credit allows the running credit value to be decremented until reaching a predetermined negative number and decrements the running credit value. All cells in the next packet are discarded and the credit value is incremented for each conforming cell in the next packet, which results in the credit value having a bonus credit value added thereon if the number of conforming cells discarded in the next packet exceeds the number of borrowed cells required to pass the first packet. All cells of all subsequent packets are discarded until the borrowed cell credits have been accounted for. Whether the cell is the last cell of the first frame is ascertained and the last cell is processes so that cells of the first packet are not merged with cells passed next.

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First Claim