Method and apparatus for transmitting cells across a switch in unicast and multicast modes
US6963563B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 8, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2012/5681
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present apparatus and method of use comprises a system that enables a cell of data to be transmitted one time over a high speed data bus to an switch system where it is then distributed to each of the destinations for which it is intended. A fabric access device and a multiplex devices are each formed to have groups of buffers for buffering signals according to type. The first group of buffers is for temporarily storing data that is to be delivered to only one destination. The second group of buffers is for holding the cells that are to be transmitted to a plurality of devices. In those embodiments in which the unicast and multicast cells are transmitted over the same line or bus a parsing unit examines a field within the header portion of each cell to determine whether the cell is a unicast or multicast cell. If the cell is a unicast cell, it is temporarily stored within the unicast receive buffer set. If the cell is a multicast cell, then it is temporarily stored in the multicast buffer set. A memory whose contents include a table that is used for addressing purposes for the multicast cells.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.