Patent ID: 6957270

Claim:
In a system that includes a network device that controls communication of data frames between stations, a method comprising: receiving a data frame on a first logic component of the network device; identifying receive port information associated with the data frame, the receive port information identifying a port on the first logic component on which the data frame was received; transmitting the data frame and the receive port information to a second logic component on the network device, based on a destination address of the data frame; receiving the data frame and receive port information at the second logic component; storing the receive port information on the second logic component; processing the data frame to generate frame forwarding information; transferring the frame forwarding information to an output queue on the second logic component; detecting a condition on the second logic component; transmitting the receive port information associated with the data frame from the second logic component to the first logic component, when the condition is detected; generating a pause frame by the first logic component in response to receiving the receive port information from the second logic component; and transmitting the pause frame by the first logic component via the port identified by the receive port information.