Patent ID: 6539024
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for buffering data cells comprising:(a) receiving a data cell; (b) determining a logical queue corresponding to the data cell from a plurality of logical queues, wherein determining the logical queue is based on information in the data cell, wherein the logical queue is used to store data in a partition of a partitioned buffer; (c) determining if a depth pointer of the logical queue is less than a maximum depth; (d) when the depth pointer of the logical queue is not less than the maximum depth, discarding the data cell; (e) when the depth pointer of the logical queue is less than the maximum depth; (f) determining if the depth pointer of the logical queue exceeds a reserved threshold; (g) when the depth pointer does not exceed the reserved threshold: storing the data cell in a reserved portion of the partition; and incrementing the depth pointer of the logical queue; (h) when the depth pointer of the logical queue exceeds the reserved threshold: (i) determining if a shared depth pointer of the partition is less than a maximum shared depth; (j) when the shared depth pointer is not less than the maximum shared depth, discarding the data cell; and (k) when the shared depth pointer is less than the maximum shared depth: storing the data cell in the shared portion of the partition; incrementing the depth pointer of the logical queue; and incrementing the shared depth pointer of the partition.