Priority aware MAC flow control

Details Priority aware MAC flow control Priority aware MAC flow control

2011-08-02

2011-08-02

Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2476)

Multiplex communications

Data flow congestion prevention or control

C370S235000, C370S252000, C370S352000, C370S389000, C370S406000, C709S230000, C709S232000, C709S235000, C709S236000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07990857

ABSTRACT:
Solutions are provided that allow a network device to apply flow control on the MAC layer while taking into account the priority of the frame of traffic. This may be accomplished by generating a frame indicating that traffic flow should be paused, while utilizing a new opcode value, or alternatively by utilizing a new type/length value (possibly combined with a new opcode value). A receiving device may then examine the fields of the frame to determine whether it should use priority-based pausing, and then examine other fields to determine which priority-levels to pause and for how long. This allows for improved efficiency in flow control on the MAC layer.

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