Patent ID: 7961606

Claim:
A method for controlling data packet traffic flow into a link partner device, said method comprising: detecting an occupancy level of a receive queue in the link partner device, wherein said detecting an occupancy level of a receive queue in the link partner device comprises detecting a receive queue overrun condition; setting a pause time value within a flow control frame in accordance with said detected occupancy level of the receive queue, wherein the pause time value is an adjustable value that is increased, decreased, or left unchanged after the occupancy level is detected and based on the detected occupancy level of the receive queue; wherein the pause time value is expressed in transactional terms, which directs the link partner device to desist further data packet transmission until the link partner device receives one or more XON packets; performing an upward adjustment of the pause time value by specifying a higher transactional threshold condition of waiting until two XON frames are received, instead of one XON frame, before resuming data packet transmission; and transmitting the flow control frame from the link partner device to a corresponding remote link partner device.