Patent ID: 7304949
Filing Date: 2007-12-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A switching device for transporting packets of data, the packets being received at the switching device based on flow-control information, the device comprising a memory for storing the packets, a credit counter coupled to the memory for counting a credit number of packets departing from the memory, and a scheduler unit coupled to the credit counter for deriving the flow-control information in response to the credit number, where the memory is comprised of an N times M number of memory units arranged in an N switch row by M switch column matrix, where at least M is greater than one, where there are N times M credit counters individual ones of which are associated with an individual one of the N times M number of memory units, where the scheduler unit is comprised of N schedulers one for each of the N switch rows of memory units and coupled to each of M credit counters within the associated switch row of memory units, and where the flow-control information comprises N flow control signals individual ones of which are configured to specify for the storage of data one of the M memory units of an associated switch row of memory units.