Bridge/router architecture for high performance scalable networking
US5802278A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 1, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2012/5681
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A high performance scalable networking bridge/router system is based on a backbone communication medium and message passing process which interconnects a plurality of input/output modules. The input/output modules vary in complexity from a simple network interface device having no switching or routing resources on board, to a fully functional bridge/router system. Also, in between these two extremes input/output modules which support distributed protocol processing are supported. A central internetworking engine includes a shared memory resource coupled to the backbone. The architecture includes a physical layer communication system for transferring control messages and data packets across the backbone, a logical layer interprocessor messaging system which operates over the physical layer across the backbone for communication between intelligent input/out modules, and between such modules in the central internetworking engine, and distributed protocol modules which are supported on intelligent input/output modules, and communicate using the logical interprocessor messaging system with the central internetworking resources.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.