Modified ethernet switch

• US 20060153183A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lantiq Beteiligungs-GmbH & Company KG (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lantiq Deutschland GMBH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Swee Hock Alvin, Mathangi, Swetha Subramanian
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches

Abstract

There is provided a modified Ethernet switch for directing data packets to and from a plurality of Ethernet ports. The switch is arranged to forward each data packet outgoing to one of the ports to the correct port as determined by an address lookup table. The switch is operable in two modes. In the first mode, the switch is arranged to forward each data packet incoming from one of the ports to its correct destination port as determined by the address lookup table. In the second mode, the switch is arranged to forward each data packet incoming from one of the ports to a processor. The address lookup table is maintained by the switch. The switch comprises a control block for switching the switch between the first mode and the second mode.

Claims

1. An Ethernet switch for directing data packets to and from a plurality of Ethernet ports, the switch maintaining an address lookup table and comprising a control block for switching the switch between a first mode and a second mode, wherein the switch is arranged:

to forward each data packet outgoing to one of the ports to the correct port as determined by the address lookup table; and

in the first mode, to forward each data packet incoming from one of the ports to the correct destination as determined by the address lookup table; and

in the second mode, to forward each data packet incoming from one of the ports to a processor.

2. The Ethernet switch of claim 1 wherein the control block is operable by a user.

3. The Ethernet switch of claim 1 wherein the address lookup table is a Layer 2 address lookup table.

4. The Ethernet switch of claim 1 wherein the address lookup table is implemented in hardware.

5. The Ethernet switch of claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to forward each data packet to the correct destination as determined by the content of the data packet.

7. An Ethernet switch for directing data packets to and from a plurality of Ethernet ports, the switch maintaining an address lookup table and comprising a control block for switching the switch between a first mode and a second mode, wherein,

in the first mode, the switch is arranged to forward data packets to the correct destination as determined by the address lookup table, and

in the second mode, the switch is arranged to forward data packets to a processor, the processor being arranged to forward the data packets to the correct destination as determined by the content of the data packet.

6. An Ethernet device comprising the Ethernet switch of claim 7 and the processor, the processor being coupled to the Ethernet switch.

8. The Ethernet switch of claim 7 wherein the control block is operable by a user.

9. The Ethernet switch of claim 7 wherein the address lookup table comprises a Layer 2 address lookup table.

10. The Ethernet switch of claim 7 wherein the address lookup table is implemented in hardware.

11. An Ethernet device comprising the Ethernet switch of claim 7 and the processor, the processor being coupled to the Ethernet switch.

12. An Ethernet switch for directing data packets to and from a plurality of Ethernet ports, the switch maintaining an address lookup table, the switch comprising:

a control block for switching the switch between a first mode and a second mode;

means for forwarding data packets to the correct destination as determined by the address lookup table when the control block indicates the first mode; and

means for forwarding data packets to a processor when the control block indicates the second mode, the processor being arranged to forward the data packets to the correct destination as determined by the content of the data packet.

13. The Ethernet switch of claim 12 wherein the control block is operable by a user.

14. The Ethernet switch of claim 12 wherein the address lookup table comprises a Layer 2 address lookup table.

15. The Ethernet switch of claim 12 wherein the address lookup table is implemented in hardware.

16. An Ethernet device comprising the Ethernet switch of claim 12 and the processor, the processor being coupled to the Ethernet switch.