Patent ID: 6542512
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network switch port in a network switch and configured for sending and receiving data frame between a medium interface and the network switch, the network switch port comprising:a random access transmit buffer for storing transmit data frames from the network switch; a transmit state machine for transmitting the transmit data frame onto the medium interface according to a prescribed network protocol; and a transmit memory management unit configured for selectively transferring each transmit data frame from the transmit buffer to the transmit state machine based on prescribed interface protocol signals between the transmit memory management unit and the transmit state machine, said transmit state machine configured for outputting a flush transmit buffer signal in response to a detected error in transmitting a transmit data frame and said transmit memory management unit directing said transmit buffer to flush the non-transmitted transmit data frame in response to said flush transmit buffer signal, wherein the transmit memory management unit is configured for setting an incremented transmit buffer read pointer to a value corresponding to a next transmit data frame stored in the transmit buffer in response to the flush transmit buffer signal, permitting the non-transmitted transmit data frame having the detected error to be flushed from the transmit buffer without flushing other transmit data frames in the transmit buffer.