Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

sliding-window
     
         A method of {flow control} in which a {receiver}
        gives a {transmitter} permission to transmit {data} until a
        {window} is full.  When the window is full, the transmitter
        must stop transmitting until the receiver advertises a larger
        window.
     
        {TCP}, other transport {protocols}, and several {link-layer
        protocols} use this method of flow control.
     
        (2002-12-02)