Patent ID: 7630315

Claim:
A method, comprising: performing the following at a destination node that is communicating with a source node over a network: regulating a flow of sequentially addressed data across said network between said source node and said destination node by controlling a set of data recognized as traversing said network as follows: adding first data to said set in response to said first data's transmission by said source is desired; removing second data from said set in response to said second data has arrived at said destination; removing third data from said set in response to said third data being declared lost; the total amount of data within said set is no higher than a number; adding fourth data to said set in response to the total amount of data within said set being less than said number; the largest address whose corresponding data is within said set is allowed to increase without being limited by the smallest address whose corresponding data is within said set; and, units of data within said set are allowed to be noncontiguous.