Packet preemption for low latency

A system comprising:

• a first buffer configured to buffer low priority frames;
• a second buffer configured to buffer high priority frames;
• circuitry in communication with the first and second buffers, the circuitry configured to:
• transmit a portion of a first frame from the first buffer via a communication link, the first frame comprising more than the portion transmitted;
• determine to preempt transmission of the first frame in response to receipt of a second frame in the second buffer;
• and
• stop transmission of the first frame via the communication link after the portion of the first frame;
• and
• after completion of the transmission of the portion of the first frame, transmit the second frame stored in the second buffer via the communication link;
• and
• after completion of transmission of the second frame via the communication link, based on a number of bits in the transmitted portion of the first frame being less than a threshold, transmit the entire first frame, including the transmitted portion of the first frame via the communication link, or transmit a subsequent portion of the first frame via the communication link based on the number of bits in the transmitted portion of the first frame not being less than the threshold.

A method comprising:

• in a network device:
• allocating a first buffer for storing low priority packets;
• allocating a second buffer for storing high priority packets;
• while transmitting a first packet from the first buffer via a communication link and prior to completing transmission the first packet:
• determining to preempt transmission of the first packet by stopping transmission of the first packet via the communication link in response to detecting a second packet being stored in the second buffer;
• and
• transmitting the second packet stored in the second buffer via the communication link;
• and
• after completing transmission of the second packet via the communication link, restarting transmission of an entirety of the first packet, including a portion of the first packet transmitted prior to the preemption, via the communication link in response to a number of bits of the first packet transmitted prior to the preemption being less than a threshold, or restarting transmission of a portion of the first packet remaining to be transmitted in response to the number of bits of the first packet transmitted prior to the preemption being greater than the threshold.

A system comprising:

• a first buffer configured to buffer low priority frames;
• a second buffer configured to buffer high priority frames;
• circuitry in communication with the first and second buffers, the circuitry configured to:
• transmit a fragment of a first packet from the first buffer via a communication link, wherein the fragment is one of a plurality of fragments of the first packet;
• stop transmission of the first packet via the communication link after transmission of the fragment in response to a second packet being stored in the second buffer;
• transmit the second packet stored in the second buffer via the communication link;
• and
• after transmission of the second packet via the communication link, restart transmission of the first packet in entirety, including the fragment of the first packet that was previously transmitted, via the communication link, in response to a number of bits of the fragment of the first packet being less than a threshold, or restart transmission of the first packet by transmitting remaining fragments of the first packet via the communication link in response to a size of the fragment being greater than a threshold.