Memory sharing mechanism based on priority elevation

A method for transporting packets of data in a communication device, wherein each packet is assigned one of at least higher and lower priorities and received based on memory state information, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing the received packets in a memory, and
• automatically modifying the assigned priority of any of the packets causing congestion within the memory in order to resolve spatial priority blocking of higher priority packets within the memory due to lower priority packets.

(canceled)

16-18. (canceled)

A communication device for transporting packets of data, each packet being assigned one of at least higher and lower priorities, the device comprising:

• a memory for storing the packets;
• and
• a priority modification unit coupled to the memory for automatically modifying the assigned priority of any of the packets causing congestion within a switch buffer associated with the memory in order to resolve spatial priority blocking of higher priority packets within the memory due to switch buffer space being consumed by lower priority packets.

A program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and having a program of instruction which are tangibly embodied on the storage device and which are executable by the processing apparatus to perform a method for transporting packets of data in a communication device, wherein each packet is assigned one of at least higher and lower priorities and received based on memory state information, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing the received packets in a memory, and
• automatically modifying the assigned priority of any of the packets causing congestion within the memory in order to resolve spatial priority blocking of higher priority packets within the memory due to lower priority packets.