Patent ID: 8767747

Claim:
A method for transferring data packets in a communication network, wherein first data packets having a low priority are transferred between a transmitter and a receiver of the communication network and wherein second data packets having a high priority compared to the first data packets are preferably transferred between the transmitter and the receiver, the method comprising: for a first data packet to be transferred from the transmitter to the receiver, receiving the first data packet in a first data packet output buffer, setting a switch to connect a data output of the transmitter to an output end of the first data packet output buffer, and transferring the first packet from the output end of the first data packet output buffer to the data output of the transmitter, in parallel with transferring the first packet from the output end of the first data packet output buffer to the data output of the transmitter, storing the first packet in an intermediate memory connected to the output end of the first data packet output buffer, for a second data packet to be transferred from the transmitter to the receiver, receiving the second data packet in a second data packet output buffer and performing a check to see whether presently the first data packet is being transferred, if the check as to whether the first data packet is being transferred presently is positive, then interrupting or stopping the transfer of the first data packet and then transferring the second data packet, after the transfer of the second data packet, setting the switch to connect the data output of the transmitter to an output end of the intermediate memory and transferring the non-transferred first data packet or transferring the rest of the incompletely transferred first data packet from the intermediate memory to the data output of the transmitter without passing through the first data packet output buffer.