Distributed scheduler for packet switches and passive optical networks

摘要

Scheduling system and method for scheduling data packets from an input port (11...1i) to an output port (31...3o), comprising virtual output queues (61...6n) being arranged to store data packets from the input port (11...1i) destined for a specific output port (31...3o). The scheduling system comprises a scheduling tree (10) having a plurality of comparison layers, each comparison layer being arranged for pair-wise comparing requests received from the associated virtual output queues (61...6n) in parallel and sending the request with a higher priority to a higher level comparison layer until a single request remains, the single request indicating the virtual output queue (61...6n) scheduled to send its data packet to the associated output port (31...3o).