Patent ID: 7764703

Claim:
A method for sending a frame of data from a first channel to a second channel, the method comprising: reserving q of n available buffers of m total buffers to the first channel; storing a frame that is received from the first channel in i of the q buffers and changing the status of the i buffers to unavailable; selectively assigning the frame to the second channel based on a number of the buffers j assigned to the second channel and a number of the buffers h neither reserved nor assigned to any channel, wherein i+j≦m and h+q≦n; assigning the i buffers storing the frame to the second channel if the frame is assigned to the second channel; changing the status of the i buffers to available if the frame is subsequently sent over the second channel; and using a queue controller to discard the frame and change the status of the i buffers to available if the frame is not assigned to the second channel, wherein q, n, m, j, i, and h are integers.