Patent ID: 6105086
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of buffering data between a shared resource and a plurality of data communication interfaces through a plurality of respective first-in-first-out (""FIFO"") buffers, wherein the data is divided into multiple-bit data frames having a start and an end, the method comprising:maintaining a priority level for each FIFO buffer;initializing the priority level of each FIFO buffer to a first priority level;passing bits of the multiple-bit data frames from the shared resource to respective ones of the FIFO buffers in a buffer order based on the priority level of each FIFO buffer;passing the bits of the multiple-bit data frames from the FIFO buffers to the respective data communication interfaces; andselectively increasing the priority level of each FIFO buffer to a second, higher priority level as a function of a level the bits within the FIFO buffer and whether the end of at least one data frame is stored in the FIFO buffer.