# US 12,120,034 B2 · Data flow control in a network

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- Number: US 12,120,034 B2
- Document ID: US12120034B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/030,659
- Filed: 2021-10-18
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-19
- Assignees: B&R Industrial Automation GmbH
- Applicants: B&R Industrial Automation GmbH
- Inventors: Horst Weber; Franz Meisl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120034B2

## CPC

- H04L 47/26: using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
- H04L 47/266: {Stopping or restarting the source, e.g. X-on or X-off}
- H04L 47/283: in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
- H04L 47/30: in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

In order to implement a method for data flow control in a network with reduced overhead, a first subscriber transmits data symbols in data frames to a second subscriber. The second subscriber forwards and/or processes the data frame. If there is a delay in forwarding and/or processing the data frame, the second subscriber instructs the first subscriber to pause the transmission of the data frames with a granularity of one data symbol. After the pause, the first subscriber continues to transmit the data frames with a granularity of one data symbol.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A network comprising:
a first switch designated as a first subscriber; and
a second switch designated as a second subscriber connected to the first subscriber via a data connection,
wherein the first subscriber is designed to transmit data frames, which contain data symbols, to the second subscriber via the data connection,
wherein the second subscriber is designed to instruct the first subscriber to pause the transmitting of the data frames with a granularity of one data symbol, whereby the transmitting of a data frame is paused between successive first and second data symbols within the data frame, and wherein after the pause, the first subscriber is designed to continue the transmission of the data frames with a granularity of one data symbol, whereby the transmitting of the data frame continues from between the successive first and second data symbols within the data frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The network according to claim 1, wherein the second subscriber comprises a symbol buffer for buffering received data frames.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The network according to claim 1 is a real-time network.