Patent ID: 7177274

Claim:
A method of transmitting a packet of data, the method comprising: providing a data packet in a transmit buffer; providing a delay bound time period within which the data packet should be transmitted after being provided in the transmit buffer; flushing the data packet without initiating transmission of the data packet if there is insufficient time to transmit the data packet before expiration of the delay bound time period; selecting the data packet for transmission; initiating transmission of the data packet if there is sufficient time to transmit the data packet before expiration of the delay bound time period after selecting the data packet for transmission; defining a flush time out period within which the data packet should be transmitted after being selected for transmission, wherein defining the flush time out period comprises selecting a minimum of a specified flush time out period or a difference between the delay bound time period and a queue time period defined as a period of time between providing the data packet in the transmit buffer and selecting the data packet for transmission; and terminating transmission of the data packet, if transmission of the data packet is incomplete before expiration of the flush time out period.