Efficient approach to merge and segment IP packets

Variable-size IP packets are generally segmented into fixed-size cells for switching and scheduling in scalable input queueing switches. While switch bandwidth loss occurs when packets' sizes are not integral times of the cell size, and the speedup of at least two is required to achieve full line rate. This paper proposes a framing approach called Bit Map Packet Framing (BMPF) to merge and segment IP packets efficiently. In BMPF, the partially filled cell can carry some bytes from the following packet. Thus switch bandwidth loss is avoided and the required speedup is greatly lowered to 1.175. BMPF is superior to other conventional framing methods, such as PPP, HDLC and COBS. Furthermore, BMPF can be also deployed to merge IP packets in optical packet switches.