Methods and apparatus are disclosed for communicating time and latency sensitive
information in a system, such as, but not limited to a computer or communications
system. A first block of data is identified and transmitted. A check code is partially
determined based on this first data. While the first data is being transmitted,
the time-sensitive data (e.g., flow control, other control information, etc.) is
identified. This identified time-sensitive data is then contiguously transmitted
after the first data. The determination of the check code is completed based on
the time-sensitive data, and the check code is contiguously transmitted after the
time-sensitive data. One implementation receives the first data, the time-sensitive
data, and the check code. If error correction is being used and is needed, the
time-sensitive data is first corrected based on the check code, and then subsequently,
the first data is corrected. In this manner, the latency of the availability of
this time-sensitive data may be reduced.