Patent ID: 7903552
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a node, a method for controlling transmission of a frame, comprising: queuing into one of a plurality of transmit queues a frame to be transmitted from the node over a communication medium to another node, the transmit queue distinguished from the other transmit queues based on: receiving a communication indicating: determining an order in which the plurality of transmit queues become eligible for arbitrating the transmission of the frame from the transmit queue responsive to the communication, wherein transmit queues containing frames with higher priorities become eligible before transmit queues containing frames with the same or lower priorities than the indicated priority at and/or below which the node is to control transmission; for transmit queues containing frames with the same or lower priorities than the indicated priority at and/or below which the node is to control transmission, regulating a maximum rate of the transmission of the frames when they become eligible for arbitration based on a current rate factor maintained for the other node, the current rate factor based on a tracked congestion status tracked by where the other node forwards frames, the tracked congestion status indicating whether congestion exists for where the other node forwards frames and/or whether the current rate factor maintained for the other node is subject to control, wherein upon receipt of successive communications indicating that the other node is experiencing traffic congestion to where the other node forwards frames, the tracked congestion status further indicates one of an increase or decrease of a percentage by which to throttle up or down the current rate factor maintained for the other node.