Method and apparatus providing programmable thresholds for full-

Details Method and apparatus providing programmable thresholds for full- Method and apparatus providing programmable thresholds for full-

1997-12-18

2000-12-26

Vu, Huy D.

Multiplex communications

Pathfinding or routing

Switching a message which includes an address header

370412, H04L 1228

Patent

active

061670545

ABSTRACT:
A network having a shared memory architecture for storing data frames has a set of programmable thresholds that specify when flow control should be initiated on full-duplex network ports. The network switch includes a queue for storing free frame pointers that specify available memory locations in an external memory for storing data frames received from a network station. The network switch takes a frame pointer from a free buffer queue for each received data frame, and stores the received data frame in the location in external memory specified by the frame pointer while a decision making engine within the switch determines the appropriate destination ports. Flow control is initiated based on the number of available frame pointers by transmitting a PAUSE frame having a selected PAUSE interval to a transmitting network station. Specifically, a full-duplex port will output a PAUSE frame having a short, medium, or long programmed pause interval if the free buffer pool of available frame pointers falls below a high, medium, or low programmable threshold, respectively. The switch thus provides flexibility in generating variable-length PAUSE control frames to minimize wasting network bandwidth.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 5828653 (1998-10-01), Goss
patent: 5838922 (1998-11-01), Galand et al.
patent: 5896379 (1999-04-01), Haber
patent: 5901147 (1999-05-01), Joffe
patent: 5905870 (1999-05-01), Mangin et al.

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