초록

A method of adjusting a timer is disclosed. The method includes adjusting a timer activation period based on a characteristic of a network and setting the timer using the timer activation period. The timer is used in communicating information over the network.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method of adjusting a timer comprising: defining a plurality of timer activation periods; associating each timer activation period of the plurality of timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion

What is claimed is: 1. A method of adjusting a timer comprising: defining a plurality of timer activation periods; associating each timer activation period of the plurality of timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion carried by a network; determining a current network condition; selecting, based on the current network condition, one of the timer activation periods from the plurality of timer activation periods; adjusting the timer activation period in response to a change in network congestion between a plurality of connection endpoints carried by the network, wherein the network congestion comprises a plurality of data flows, the number of connection endpoints is variable, each connection endpoint is defined by a network address and port number pair, the timer activation period comprises a time period between timer-driven interrupts, the adjusting comprises altering the timer activation period by increasing the timer activation period in response to detecting an increase in network congestion; and setting the timer using the timer activation period, wherein the timer is used in communicating information over the network. 2. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 1 wherein adjusting the timer activation period is based on historical data. 3. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 2 further comprising: reading at least one memory buffer of the network, wherein the at least one memory buffer stores information from data processing and the data processing is based on available capacity of the at least one memory buffer. 4. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 3 further comprising: reading multiple memory buffers of a digital system, wherein the multiple memory buffers store information based on priority. 5. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 4 wherein priority is based on one or more of the following: contents of a data packet, a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, type of service, a class of service, a quality of service, a service level agreement, and a VLAN information. 6. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 4 further comprising: delaying the reading of timers held in a memory buffer based on the priority of the memory buffer. 7. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 4 further comprising: delaying the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 8. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 4 further comprising: delaying the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the data associated with the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 9. The method of adjusting a timer of claim 1 further comprising: adjusting a counter for the current network condition wherein a value of the counter relates to an optimal activation period. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of connection endpoints is more than two. 11. A timing unit for a network comprising: a timer; a memory configured to store the timer; and a timing control unit, coupled to the timer, wherein the timing control unit is configured to define a plurality of timer activation periods; the timing control unit is configured to associate each timer activation period of the timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion carried by a network; the timing control unit is configured to determine a current network condition; the timing control unit is configured to select, based on the current network condition, one of the timer activation periods from the plurality of timer activation periods; the timing control unit is configured to adjust the timer activation period in response to a change in network congestion between a plurality of connection endpoints carried by the network, wherein the network congestion comprises a plurality of data flows, the number of connection endpoints is variable, each connection endpoint is defined by a network address and port number pair, the timer activation period comprises a time period between timer-driven interrupts, the timing control unit is configured to adjust the timer activation period by altering the timer activation period by increasing the timer activation period in response to detecting an increase in network congestion, and the timing control unit is configured to provide the timer activation period to the timer. 12. The timing unit of claim 11 wherein the timing control unit is configured to adjust a timer activation period based on a characteristic of network congestion carried by the network by virtue of being configured to define a plurality of predetermined timer activation periods, and select one of the predetermined timer activation periods as the timer activation period. 13. The timing unit of claim 12 wherein the characteristic of network congestion carried by the network is a traffic flow condition of the network. 14. The timing unit of claim 12 wherein the characteristic of network congestion carried by the network is based on historical information. 15. The timing unit of claim 12 further comprising: a counter that is adjusted for current network conditions wherein a value of the counter relates to an optimal activation period. 16. The timing unit of claim 12 further comprising: at least one memory buffer of the network, wherein the at least one memory buffer stores information from data processing and the data processing is based on available capacity of the at least one memory buffer. 17. The timing unit of claim 16 further comprising: multiple memory buffers that are read, wherein the multiple memory buffers store information based on priority. 18. The timing unit of claim 17 wherein priority is based on one or more of the following: contents of a data packet, a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, type of service, a class of service, a quality of service, a service level agreement, and a VLAN information. 19. The timing unit of claim 17 further comprising: a memory buffer that stores a prioritized timer, wherein the memory buffer is read depending on priority of the timer. 20. The timing unit of claim 17 further comprising: a first memory buffer that stores a prioritized timer and data, and a second memory buffer that stores a prioritized timer and data, wherein either the first or the second memory buffer is read based on priority of the timers. 21. The timing unit of claim 17 further comprising: a first memory buffer that stores a prioritized timer and data, and a second memory buffer that stores a prioritized timer and data, wherein either the first or the second memory buffer is read based on data of the timers. 22. A computer system comprising: a processor; a computer readable medium coupled to the processor; and computer code, encoded in the computer readable medium, configured to cause the processor to: define a plurality of timer activation periods; associate each timer activation period of the plurality of timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion carried by a network; determine a current network condition; select, based on the current network condition, one of the timer activation periods from the plurality of timer activation periods; adjust the timer activation period in response to a change in network congestion between a plurality of connection endpoints carried by the network, wherein the network congestion comprises a plurality of data flows, the number of connection endpoints is variable, each connection endpoint is defined by a network address and port number pair, the timer activation period comprises a time period between timer-driven interrupts, the adjusting comprises altering the timer activation period by increasing the timer activation period in response to detecting an increase in network congestion; and set the timer using the timer activation period, wherein the timer is used in communicating information over the network. 23. The computer system of claim 22 wherein adjusting the timer activation period is based on historical data. 24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured to: read at least one memory buffer of the network, wherein the at least one memory buffer stores information from data processing and the data processing is based on available capacity of the at least one memory buffer. 25. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the processor is further configured to: read multiple memory buffers of a digital system, wherein the multiple memory buffers store information based on priority. 26. The computer system of claim 25 wherein priority is based on one or more of the following: contents of a data packet, a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, type of service, a class of service, a quality of service, a service level agreement, and a VLAN information. 27. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the processor is further configured to: delay the reading of timers held in a memory buffer based on the priority of the memory buffer. 28. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the processor is further configured to: delay the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 29. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the processor is further configured to: delay the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the data associated with the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 30. The computer system of claim 22 wherein the processor is further configured to: adjust a counter for the current network condition wherein a value of the counter relates to an optimal activation period. 31. An apparatus for adjusting a timer comprising: means for defining a plurality of timer activation periods; means for associating each timer activation period of the plurality of timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion carried by a network; means for determining a current network condition; means for selecting, based on the current network condition, one of the timer activation periods from the plurality of timer activation periods; means for adjusting the timer activation period in response to a change in network congestion between a plurality of connection endpoints carried by the network, wherein the network congestion comprises a plurality of data flows, the number of connection endpoints is variable, each connection endpoint is defined by a network address and port number pair, the timer activation period comprises a time period between timer-driven interrupts, and the means for adjusting further comprises a means for altering the timer activation period by increasing the timer activation period in response to detecting an increase in network congestion; means for setting the timer using the timer activation period, wherein the timer is used in communicating information over the network; and a memory configured to store the timer. 32. The apparatus for adjusting a timer of claim 31 wherein adjusting the timer activation period is based on historical data. 33. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 32 further comprising: means for reading at least one memory buffer of the network, wherein the at least one memory buffer stores information from data processing and the data processing is based on available capacity of the at least one memory buffer. 34. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 33 further comprising: means for reading multiple memory buffers of a digital system, wherein the multiple memory buffers store information based on priority. 35. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 34 wherein priority is based on one or more of the following: contents of a data packet, a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, type of service, a class of service, a quality of service, a service level agreement, and a VLAN information. 36. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 34 further comprising: means for delaying the reading of timers held in a memory buffer based on the priority of the memory buffer. 37. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 34 further comprising: means for delaying the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 38. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 34 further comprising: means for delaying the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the data associated with the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 39. The apparatus of adjusting a timer of claim 31 further comprising: means for adjusting a counter for the current network condition wherein a value of the counter relates to an optimal activation period. 40. A computer program product, encoded in computer readable storage media, comprising: a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to define a plurality of timer activation periods; a second set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to associate each timer activation period of the plurality of timer activation periods with a network condition, wherein the network condition is a characteristic of network congestion carried by the network; a third set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to determine a current network condition; a fourth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to select, based on the current network condition, one of the timer activation periods from the plurality of timer activation period baseds; a fifth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to adjust the timer activation period in response to a change in network congestion between a plurality of connection endpoints carried by the network, wherein the network congestion comprises a plurality of data flows, the number of connection endpoints is variable, each connection endpoint is defined by a network address and port number pair, the timer activation period comprises a time period between timer-driven interrupts, the fifth set of instructions comprises instructions configured to alter the timer activation period by increasing the timer activation period in response to detecting an increase in network congestion; and a sixth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to set the timer using the timer activation period, wherein the timer is used in communicating information over the network. 41. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein adjusting the timer activation period is based on historical data. 42. The computer program product of claim 41 further comprising: an eighth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to read at least one memory buffer of the network, wherein the at least one memory buffer stores information from data processing and the data processing is based on available capacity of the at least one memory buffer. 43. The computer program product of claim 42 further comprising: an eighth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to read multiple memory buffers of a digital system, wherein the multiple memory buffers store information based on priority. 44. The computer program product of claim 43 wherein priority is based on one or more of the following: contents of a data packet, a MAC address, an IP address, a port number, type of service, a class of service, a quality of service, a service level agreement, and a VLAN information. 45. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising: a ninth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to delay the reading of timers held in a memory buffer based on the priority of the memory buffer. 46. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising: a tenth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to delay the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 47. The computer program product of claim 43 further comprising: an eleventh set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to delay the reading of timers held in a first memory buffer based on the priority of the data associated with the timers stored in a second memory buffer. 48. The computer program product of claim 40 further comprising: a seventh set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to adjust a counter for the current network condition wherein a value of the counter relates to an optimal activation period.