Method and apparatus for performing priority-based flow control
First Claim
1. A network device configured to control communication of data frames between stations, comprising:
- a logic device configured to detect a condition associated with a resource on the network device, wherein the condition relates to a congestion condition;
a frame generating device configured to generate a pause frame requesting suspension of data traffic in response to the detection of the condition, the pause frame including a priority indicator identifying a first priority; and
a transmit device configured to transmit the pause frame to at least one station, the pause frame requesting the at least one station to suspend transmission of data frames corresponding to the first priority to the network device, wherein the pause frame does not affect transmission of data frames corresponding to a priority other than the first priority.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network device that controls the communication of data frames between stations receives data frames having different levels of priority. The network device identifies the levels of priority and processes the frames based on the priority level. When a congestion condition associated with a resource on the network device occurs, the network device generates a pause frame that includes a priority indicator and transmits the pause frame to at least one station. When a receiving station receives the pause frame, the receiving station suspends transmission of data frames having a priority corresponding to the priority indicator and continues transmitting frames having other priorities.
151 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A network device configured to control communication of data frames between stations, comprising:
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a logic device configured to detect a condition associated with a resource on the network device, wherein the condition relates to a congestion condition; a frame generating device configured to generate a pause frame requesting suspension of data traffic in response to the detection of the condition, the pause frame including a priority indicator identifying a first priority; and a transmit device configured to transmit the pause frame to at least one station, the pause frame requesting the at least one station to suspend transmission of data frames corresponding to the first priority to the network device, wherein the pause frame does not affect transmission of data frames corresponding to a priority other than the first priority. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a network device that controls communication of data frames between stations, a method comprising:
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detecting a condition on the network device, wherein the condition relates to a congestion condition; generating a pause frame requesting suspension of data traffic of a first priority for a period of time, the pause frame not affecting data traffic of a priority other than the first priority in response to detecting the condition, the pause frame including a priority indicator identifying the first priority; and transmitting the pause frame to at least one station. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-readable medium having a data structure comprising:
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a source address field; a destination address field; a priority field including information representing a priority level associated with data frames for which data transmissions are to be suspended; and a pause time field including information representing a length of time for at least one receiving station identified by the destination address field to suspend data transmissions relating to the priority level in the priority field.
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21. A data communication system, comprising:
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a first device configured to; receive data frames from at least one station, determine a priority associated with the received data frames, detect a congestion condition when at least a predetermined number of data frames of a first priority are being processed by the first device, generate a pause frame requesting suspension of data transmissions in response to the congestion condition, the pause frame including a priority indicator corresponding to the first priority, and transmit the pause frame to at least one station; and a second device configured to; receive the pause frame, suspend transmission of data frames relating to the first priority, and continue transmission of data frames relating to a second priority.
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22. In a network including a number of network stations and at least one network device configured to control communication of data frames between stations, a first network device, comprising:
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a receive device configured to receive data frames from at least one of the network stations and other network devices; and data frame processing logic configured to; identify a received data frame as a pause frame, the pause frame including a priority indicator, map the priority indicator to a first priority, suspend transmission of data frames corresponding to the first priority, and continue transmission of data frames corresponding to priorities other than the first priority.
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Specification