Patent ID: 8027252

Claim:
A system comprising: a transmission buffer having a first threshold level for data frames having the lowest priority, a second threshold level greater than the first threshold level for data frames having a medium priority, and a third threshold level greater than the second threshold level for data frames having the highest priority; and means for differentiating a data frame as having lowest, medium or highest priority and storing the data frame in the transmission buffer in response to the respective threshold levels not being reached, and discarding the data frame in response to reaching the respective threshold levels; wherein storing the data frame comprises storing the data frame in a first, second or third buffer in response to the priority of the data frame and the respective threshold of the respective buffer not being exceeded, wherein differentiating the data frame comprises determining whether the data flame is a general broadcast data frame and whether the data frame is destined for a network processor, wherein when the data frame is determined to be the general broadcast frame, differentiating further comprises: determining whether the general broadcast frame is a routing protocol frame; and storing the routing protocol frame in the third buffer having the highest threshold in response to the highest threshold not being exceeded, wherein when the general broadcast frame is determined not be the routing protocol frame differentiating further comprises: determining an MCAST_ID value of the general broadcast frame, the MCAST ID value indicative of whether the frame is a multicast frame for MAC learning purposes; storing the general broadcast frame in the first buffer having the lowest threshold in response to the lowest threshold not being exceeded and the MCAST_ID value being zero; and discarding the general broadcast if the MCAST_ID value is greater than zero.