Method and apparatus for a Gigabit Ethernet MAC (GMAC)
US6366557B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 2, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/14
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a media access controller supporting redundant links are provided. According to one aspect of the present invention a media access controller includes a two transceivers for communication with an source and/or destination port. Each transceiver has a receiver and transmitter. When the media access controller sets up a physical link to the desired source and/or destination port each transceiver sets up a separate physical link to the source and/or destination port. One of the physical links is the primary physical link and the other is a redundant or backup physical link. By using two physical links if a failure of interrupt occurs on the primary physical link then a switch-over is performed to use the redundant physical link.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.