Integrated data table in a network
US6661787B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 6, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/4641
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of operating a network device in a communication system for the transmission of data packets which include network addresses identifying sources and destinations of data, the network device being capable of both bridging and routing decisions and including a forwarding database by means of which a packet including network address data can be forwarded to at least one port and thereby to at least one network path identified by a network address, and packets can be forwarded to at least one port in response to a media access control address. The method comprises establishing a data table which contains entries comprising a network address of an end station to which a packet is destined, a respective media access control address and an identification of at least one port to which the packet will be directed within the device. The table is accessed in response to network addresses and media access control addresses, whereby the same table can be used for both routing and bridging decisions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.