Patent ID: 8228796

Claim:
A method for reducing power consumption of an Ethernet switching apparatus including a plurality of connection ports, each connected to an Ethernet apparatus, comprising: checking a state of packet data input through each of the connection ports; detecting a connection port which has a packet rate lower than a predetermined reference value based on results of the checking; determining a duration of a PAUSE frame, wherein the determining of the duration comprises setting the duration to a predetermined maximum duration if the amount of packet data input through the detected connection port is smaller than a predetermined threshold reference value and otherwise setting to half of the predetermined maximum duration; generating a data transfer control frame with respect to the detected connection port and transmitting the generated data transfer control frame to an Ethernet apparatus connected to the detected connection port wherein the data transfer control frame is the PAUSE frame, wherein the transmitting of the data transfer control frame comprises generating the PAUSE frame such that a pause state is maintained for the determined duration.