发明名称 |
Method and apparatus providing programmable thresholds for full-duplex flow control in a network switch |
摘要 |
A network having a shared memory architecture for storing data frames has a set of programmable thresholds that specify when flow control should be initiated on full-duplex network ports. The network switch includes a queue for storing free frame pointers that specify available memory locations in an external memory for storing data frames received from a network station. The network switch takes a frame pointer from a free buffer queue for each received data frame, and stores the received data frame in the location in external memory specified by the frame pointer while a decision making engine within the switch determines the appropriate destination ports. Flow control is initiated based on the number of available frame pointers by transmitting a PAUSE frame having a selected PAUSE interval to a transmitting network station. Specifically, a full-duplex port will output a PAUSE frame having a short, medium, or long programmed pause interval if the free buffer pool of available frame pointers falls below a high, medium, or low programmable threshold, respectively. The switch thus provides flexibility in generating variable-length PAUSE control frames to minimize wasting network bandwidth.
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申请公布号 |
US6167054(A) |
申请公布日期 |
2000.12.26 |
申请号 |
US19970992913 |
申请日期 |
1997.12.18 |
申请人 |
ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. |
发明人 |
SIMMONS, PHILIP;ERIMLI, BAHADIR;SANG, JINQLIH;CHOW, PETER KA-FAI;CRAYFORD, IAN;KADAMBI, JAYANT;KERSTEIN, DENISE;RUNALDUE, THOMAS JEFFERSON |
分类号 |
H04L13/08;G06F11/26;G06F12/00;G06F13/00;G06F13/10;G06F13/16;G06F13/24;G06F15/00;G06F15/16;G08B5/00;G11C11/412;H04B7/14;H04J3/02;H04J3/12;H04J3/22;H04J3/24;H04L12/18;H04L12/24;H04L12/28;H04L12/413;H04L12/44;H04L12/46;H04L12/50;H04L12/54;H04L12/56;H04L12/66;H04Q3/545;H04Q11/00;(IPC1-7):H04L12/28 |
主分类号 |
H04L13/08 |
代理机构 |
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代理人 |
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主权项 |
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地址 |
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