Multiport source routing token ring bridge apparatus
US5251213A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 12, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 5, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 12, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/4637
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multiport source routing token ring bridge is provided which permits a single local area network bridge to interconnect to multiple remote bridges without limitations on the number of rings and bridges interspersed between a data packet's source and its intended destination. The bridge receives a packet and then scans the packet for ring-in information which matches the ring to which the bridge is attached. If this match is not successful, then the packet is not passed to the software and the address recognize and frame copy bits at the end of the packet are not set. If the match is successful, then the bridge number and next ring-in (or ring-out) segment information from the packet are used as addresses to a static RAM array. The array is preprogrammed with all valid bridge number and ring-out combinations which may be accessed by the multiport source routing bridge. If addressing of the array produces a valid indication, then the packet is passed to software for forwarding to the appropriate local area network or wide area network ports. On the other hand, if the address does not produce an indication that it can be reached through the bridge, then the hardware parses the packe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.