Method and apparatus for internetworking buffer management
US6108692A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 22, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for receiving and transmitting network frames via an internetworking device, in which a first portion of a total number of buffers is allocated among port-dedicated buffer pools, and a second portion is placed in a common pool accessible by any of the network ports. A frame is received at a first port, and a list of buffers accessible only by that port is referenced to identify buffers not already in use. A second list of buffers in the common pool is referenced to identify unused buffers for use if insufficient unused buffer space is available in the port-dedicated buffer pool. Frame data is then stored in the identified buffer(s). Upon retransmission, the buffer(s) used to store the. transmitted frame is released to the port-dedicated and/or common buffer pool(s).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.