Patent ID: 6963571

Claim:
A method for merging results of priority and output port determinations to increase throughput in a multiport network device, comprising: providing a memory configured to store output port data and priority data corresponding to one or more of a plurality of packets received at the network device, the output port data identifying an output port of the network device to transmit the corresponding packet, the priority data identifying a priority of the corresponding packet; receiving output port data relating to a packet received at the network device, the output port data including an output port identifier and a first frame pointer; determining whether the memory stores priority data relating to the packet, the priority data including a priority identifier and a second frame pointer; and when the memory stores priority data relating to the packet, transmitting the received output port data and the stored priority data to an output queue associated with the identified output port, wherein the determining comprises comparing the first frame pointer of the received output port data with the second frame pointer of the stored priority data to determine whether the output port data and the priority data both relate to the same packet.