Patent ID: 7899069

Claim:
A switch, comprising: a switch fabric; and a packet processor coupled to said switch fabric, wherein said packet processor is configured to direct data across said switch fabric to another packet processor, wherein said packet processor comprises: a first queue configured to store real-time data; and a second queue configured to store non-real-time data; wherein said packet processor further comprises: a flow control unit coupled to said first queue and said second queue, wherein said flow control unit comprises: a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for transmitting data in a packet switching network; and a processor coupled to said memory unit, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises: circuitry operable for receiving data; circuitry operable for determining if said received data is one of a real-time data and a non-real-time data, wherein said real-time data has a higher priority of transmission than said non-real-time data; and circuitry operable for inserting said received data into one of said first queue and said second queue, wherein said received data is inserted in said first queue if said received data is said real-time data, wherein said received data is inserted in said second queue if said received data is said non-real-time data; wherein said first queue is configured to store real-time data associated with one or more priorities, wherein a maximum rate of data is to be transmitted to said first queue for each value priority associated with said real-time data, wherein a sum of maximum rates of data to be transmitted to said first queue for each value priority associated with said real-time data is less than or equal to a maximum rate of data to be processed by said packet processor.