Patent attributes
A system for scheduling the attribution of hardware output resources to data packets handled by different service providers is provided. The system includes an extraction device which extracts a Quality of Service parameter included in a packet header; a random value generator; a programmable key attribution device attributing a priority key to a packet depending on the Quality of Service parameter and on the generated random value, according to programmable rules; a scheduling device that includes a command generator generating packet switching commands in an order depending on the value of the priority key attributed to each packet header; and a switching device routing the packets towards hardware output resources in the order of the generated packet switching commands.