Patent ID: 6108306
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a network switch having network ports, a method of controlling transmission of data packets by network nodes in communication with the respective network ports, comprising:detecting active ports among the network ports;determining assigned bandwidth values for the respective active ports based on a number of the active ports and a capacity of the network switch: andoutputting the assigned bandwidth values to the network nodes served by the respective active ports, the output assigned bandwidth values causing the network nodes served by the respective active output ports to operate according to the respective assigned bandwidth values, whereinthe detecting step comprises determining one of the active ports to become a non-active port,the assigned bandwidth values determining step comprises recalculating the assigned bandwidth values for the remaining respective active ports in response to the one active port becoming said non-active port, andthe non-active port determining step comprisesdetermining a length of a first packet received by the one active port from the corresponding network node,calculating a delay interval based on the assigned bandwidth value for the corresponding network node and the determined length of the first packet, anddetermining, following the delay interval after reception of the first packet, a presence of another data packet received by the one active port from the corresponding network node.