Patent ID: 6091707
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for preventing under-flow of data forwarded in a device having multiple receive and transmit ports, an under-flow of data occurring when the device attempts to forward more of the data than has been received by the device, the method comprising:independently designating each of the receive ports with a mode that indicates the amount of data that must be received by that receive port prior to initiation of the forwarding of the data from the device;identifying the receive port that is receiving a set of data as the set of data is being received at the receive port;determining the designated mode of the receive port that is receiving the set of data; andforwarding the set of data to at least one transmit port in accordance with the designated mode of the receive port provided that a difference between an amount of the set of data that has been received at that receive port and an amount of the set of data that has been forwarded to a transmit port is at least as great as a threshold amount for the designated mode, wherein the threshold amount is such as to prevent under-flow in the device.