Patent ID: 7113510

Claim:
In a queue having a plurality of cells, a method comprising: receiving a first tag identifying a first storage location of a first information packet, and a corresponding second tag identifying a relative priority for the first information packet; storing said first tag and said second tag in a first stage of a first queue cell; receiving a third tag identifying a second storage location of a second information packet, and a corresponding fourth tag identifying a relative priority for the second information packet; receiving by said first queue cell, a first control signal representing one of at least a pop operation and a push operation, wherein said pop operation causes said first and second tags to be passed to a previous one of said plurality of cells, and wherein said push operation causes said second tag to be compared to said fourth tag to determine a relative order of precedence between said first and second information packets, wherein said third and fourth tags are stored in a second stage of said first cell if said first information packet is awarded precedence based at least in part upon said comparison, and wherein said first and second tags are stored in said second stage of said first cell while said third and fourth tags are stored in said first stage of said first cell if said second information packet is awarded precedence based at least in part upon said comparison; and propagating said first control signal representing one said pop and push operation to a subsequent one of said plurality of cells.