Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for scheduling delays of data in a data communications device within a network. A network policy can be obtained and analyzed to determined various delay categories associated data having various attributes. The delay categories having associated delay values can be used to configure a number of storage locations preferably interconnected in a series. Each storage location has an associated delay. When data arrives, an attribute of the data allows a determination to be made of which delay category and therefore what delay is associated with the data. The data is then deposited into a storage location having an associated delay that generally corresponds to the delay associated with the data. The delay of data is adjusted over time for each storage location, preferably by shifting the data from one storage location to the next. When data exists in a storage location having a predetermined delay transmit value, it is transferred to a transmission buffer, at which point the data has been delayed by the prescribed amount specified in the network policy. The system allows changes to be made in the network policy which can be dynamically accounted for in the delay management configuration by reconfiguring the storage location to account for any added or removed data attributes and delay categories.

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First Claim