struct pbuf {
  /** next pbuf in singly linked pbuf chain */
  struct pbuf *next;

  /** pointer to the actual data in the buffer */
  void *payload;
  
  /**
   * total length of this buffer and all next buffers in chain
   * belonging to the same packet.
   *
   * For non-queue packet chains this is the invariant:
   * p->tot_len == p->len + (p->next? p->next->tot_len: 0)
   */
  u16_t tot_len;
  
  /** length of this buffer */
  u16_t len;  

  /** flags telling the type of pbuf, see PBUF_FLAG_ */
  u16_t flags;
  
  /**
   * the reference count always equals the number of pointers
   * that refer to this pbuf. This can be pointers from an application,
   * the stack itself, or pbuf->next pointers from a chain.
   */
  u16_t ref;
  
};