Method and system for identifying ports and forwarding packets in a multiport switch
US5999531A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/3027
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for routing packets through a multiport switch involves attaching indicators to packets before the packets are passed through a switch fabric, and then using the indicators to look-up output port vectors after the packets have been passed through the switch fabric. In a preferred embodiment of a 64.times.64 port switch, an 8-bit output channel vector and a 15-bit output port index are attached to a packet and passed through the switch fabric. The 8-bit output channel vector directs the packet to the proper output packet processor(s) and the 15-bit output port index is used to look-up an output port vector that identifies the output port(s) that will receive the packet. The method and system provide low packet overhead and flexible scaling.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.