Bursty traffic multiplexing arrangement and method for shaping and multiplexing bursty input flows

摘要

A bursty traffic multiplexing arrangement (A) includes a multiplexing unit (MUX) to multiplex a plurality of bursty input flows (IF1, . . . , IFI, . . . , IFN) into an output flow (OF). Congestion due to insufficient throughput capacity of the multiplexing unit (MUX) is avoided by incorporating an input shaping device (ISDI) for each input (MII) of the multiplexing unit (MUX). Data elements constituting such an input flow (IFI) are stored in an input buffer (IBI) which forms part of the corresponding input shaping device (ISDI), and are applied to the multiplexing unit (MUX) at a rate (BI) which does not exceed a predetermined maximum input buffer reading rate (BIMAX) associated to this input buffer (IBI). Furthermore, via feedback input flow rate control information (IFRI), the input flow rates (A1, . . . , AI, . . . , AN) can be controlled to thereby avoid input buffer overload.