Method and system for providing redundancy within a network element
US7139928B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 17, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 9, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04Q2213/13341
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A network element is disclosed that provides redundancy within the network element that, in turn, provides fault tolerance for the failure of one or more processing units therein. In one embodiment, a network element according to the present invention includes N interface units, M processing units and a number of links. The value of N is an integer greater than 1. Each interface unit is coupled to L+1 processing units. The value of L is an integer greater than 0 and less than N, and the value of M equals N plus L. Each of the links is configured to couple one of the interface units and one of the processing units. Each of the interface units is configured to select one of the links that couples the interface unit and ones of the processing units, and the links include a primary link and a standby link.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.