Network bridge
US5400326A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/46
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A bridge for interconnecting data networks includes an adapter connected to each network and a central programmed processor. Each adapter includes a receive and a transmit FIFO storage which is less than the packets being transferred from one network to the other. The control program generates Receive Buffer Descriptors which include buffer pointers, buffer length fields and pointers to next descriptors. These Descriptors are used by the adapters to buffer received packets which are directed to another network. When a packet is buffered the control program generates Transmission Descriptors which are used by the adapter to transfer packet data to the other network. The control program modifies packet when needed by by generating and storing in its memory only the modified portion and including in the Receive Buffer Descriptor pointers which the buffered information which is to be transmitted and the sequence.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.