Patent ID: 7298738
Filing Date: 2007-11-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method involving a first line card, a second line card, and a switch fabric, the first line card comprising an ingress device and an egress device, the second line card comprising an ingress device and an egress device, a flow of network information flowing out of the ingress device of the first line card and initially through the switch fabric and to the egress device of the second line card, the egress device of the second line card having an amount of payload memory available for storing network information, wherein the egress device of the second line card comprises a first integrated circuit, the ingress device of the second line card comprises a second integrated circuit, the egress device of the first line card comprises a third integrated circuit, and the ingress device of the first line card comprises a fourth integrated circuit, wherein the first, second, third and fourth integrated circuits are substantially structurally identical integrated circuits, each having a single data extending from a first bus interface, through segmentation circuitry, through reassembly circuitry, and to a second bus interface the method comprising: (a) detecting on the egress device of the second line card that the amount of available payload memory available for storing network information flowing on the data path of the first integrated circuit has reached a low level; (b) in response to the detecting of (a) sending a first indication from the egress device of the second line card to the ingress device of the second line card, the first indication being sent from the egress device of the second line card to the ingress device of the second line card via a bus on the second line card; (c) receiving the first indication on the ingress device of the second line card and in response sending a status switch cell on the data path of the second integrated circuit from the ingress device of the second line card, through the switch fabric, and to the egress device of the first line card; (d) receiving the status switch cell on the data path of the third integrated circuit of the egress device of the first line card and in response sending a second indication from the egress device of the first line card to the ingress device of the first line card, the second indication being sent for the egress device of the first line card to the ingress device of the first line card via a bus on the first line card; and (e) receiving the second indication on the ingress device of the first line card and in response slowing the flow of the network information on the data path of the fourth integrated circuit out of the ingress device of the first line card, wherein network information communicated on the data paths of the first, second, third, and fourth integrated circuits is sent through the respective segmentation circuitry, reassembly circuitry of the integrated circuits.