Methods and apparatus for using gap packets to create a bandwidth buffer over which packets can be sent to reduce or eliminate overflow conditions

An apparatus in a ring network for communicating information to a second apparatus in the ring network, the apparatus comprising:

• a transit buffer configured for storing non-local-destined information packets, received on a link receiver from an external source in the ring network, and flowing through the apparatus in the ring network;
• control logic configured for determining, and for generating an indication of the result of said determination, whether to send one of said information packets stored in the transit buffer, a locally generated information packet, or a gap packet to be immediately dropped by the second apparatus in order to reduce or eliminate an overflow condition in the ring network, with said determination including resulting in inserting the gap packet, rather than not inserting the gap packet, despite currently having an information packet to send, is responsive identifying that the occupancy of said non-local-destined information packets stored in the transit buffer equals or exceeds a threshold value;
• one or more selection mechanisms, communicatively coupled to the to the transit buffer and said control logic, configured for selecting, based on said indication, to send to the second apparatus in the network;
• (1) said one of said information packets stored in the transit buffer, (2) the locally generated information packet, or (3) the gap packet;
• and
• a link transmitter directly coupled to at least one of said one or more selection mechanisms configured for transmitting said selected packet to the second apparatus in the ring network.

An apparatus for communicating information in a ring network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving non-local-destined information packets flowing through the apparatus in the ring network and locally-destined information packets;
• a transit buffer configured for storing said received non-local-destined information packets flowing through the apparatus in the ring network;
• and
• means sending a series of packets from the apparatus to a second device in the ring network, with the series of packets including interspersed information packets and gap packets, with said information packets including said non-local-destined information packets said stored in the transit buffer;
• wherein said means for sending the series of packets includes means for determining when to insert, rather than not inserting, said gap packets into the series of packets in order to reduce or eliminate an overflow condition in the ring network, with said determination including resulting in inserting a gap packet into the series of packets, despite currently having an information packet of said information packets to send in the series of packets, is responsive to identifying that the occupancy of said non-local-destined information packets stored in the transit buffer equals or exceeds a threshold value.