Patent ID: 7649843
Filing Date: 2010-01-19
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. Method for providing transmit flow control for multiple signal streams over a single Ethernet link, comprising: receiving PDUs (protocol data units) from multiple signal streams at a first MAC (media access control) client; encapsulating each PDU in a MAC frame which includes an identification of the signal stream to which the PDU belongs; transmitting the MAC frames over an Ethernet link to a second MAC client; receiving the MAC frames at the second MAC client; decapsulating the PDUs in the MAC frames received at the second MAC client; providing a plurality of buffers uniquely associated with the multiple signal streams supplying PDUs to the first MAC client; for each given PDU decapsulated from the MAC frames received at the second MAC client, forwarding the given PDU to a select one of said plurality of buffers that is associated with the signal stream from which the given PDU originated in accordance with the identifier of the MAC frame from which the given PDU was decapsulated; monitoring a fullness condition of each one of said plurality of buffers; and transmitting a Pause control frame from the second MAC client to the first MAC client, the Pause control frame indicating the fullness condition of each one of said plurality of buffers.