Method to dynamically adjust the maximum back off time of an ethernet controller in a half duplex network

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• an addressable data bus coupled to said processor;
• a computer usable memory coupled to communicate with said processor for performing a method for providing priority to a peripheral component coupled to a network, said method comprising:
• (a) determining a maximum back off time limit based on a number of collisions a first data packet encounters before being transmitted over said network;
• (b) detecting a collision of a second data packet during transmission of said second data packet by said peripheral component coupled to said network;
• and
• (c) ascertaining a back off time, wherein said back off time is substantially equal to or less than said maximum back off time limit.

A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for enabling a peripheral component coupled to a network to gain priority, comprising:

• (a) ascertaining a maximum back off time limit based on a number of collisions a first data packet encounters before being transmitted over said network;
• (b) detecting a collision of a second data packet during transmission of said second data packet by said peripheral component coupled to said network;
• (c) ascertaining a back off time, wherein said back off time is substantially equal to or less than said maximum back off time limit;
• and
• (d) causing said peripheral component to wait said back off time before trying to retransmit said second data packet over said network.