Switch architecture independent of media

• US 20060184712A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ambe, Shekhar, Kadambi, Shiri, Relan, Sandeep
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/316
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40071 Packet processing; Packet format adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific network H04N21/2381, H04N21/4363, H04N21/4381; packet switches H04L49/00; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/102 using shared medium, e.g. bus or ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network device for handling data and a method for handling data in a network device are disclosed. The network device includes at least one media port and at least one high speed docking station, communicating with the at least one media port. At least one master is provided in the network device, where the at least one master is connected to the at least one high speed docking station. The master is configured to handle and process data received by the at least one media port and passed to the master through the at least one high speed docking station. The network device is configured to handle media ports of different media types. Thus, the device can handle data received through different media ports that have different media types with the same master, making the network device easily configured to meet a customer'"'"'s needs.

Claims

1. A network component comprising:

a switching unit for performing packet switching on a plurality of ports;

a centralized processing engine for processing packet from each of the plurality of ports and for transferring the packet to at least one ports of the plurality of ports;

a plurality of interfaces for interfacing with each of the plurality of ports through at least one docking station, wherein a first media type of at least one of the plurality of ports is the same or different from a second media type of another one of the plurality of ports.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the centralized processing engine is configured to support a plurality of service agents, each of the plurality of service agents being used to provide a host of function and being dedicated to at least one of the plurality of ports.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of interfaces is configured to connect to a docking station for further connection to at least one of the plurality of ports, wherein a total bandwidth of the docking station exceeds a sum of a maximum bandwidth of the plurality of ports to which the docking station is connected.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of ports is configured to forward incoming packets to or receive outgoing packet from a packet lane, the packet lane being used for connecting the docking station to the plurality of ports.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the packet lane comprises a point to point bus for providing a direct connection between at least one of the plurality of ports and the docking station.

6. The network device of claim 4, wherein the packet lane comprises a portion of a shared bus, wherein a shared bus protocol mediates the flow of data between the plurality of ports and the docking station.

7. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network device is configured to receive an incoming data at one of the plurality of ports according to at least one of IEEE 802.3 specifications, IEEE 802.11 specifications, a wireless communication specification which supports data, voice and content-centric applications, IEEE 1394 specifications, communications specifications for cable modems, Synchronous Optical Network specifications or specifications for a switched based serial I/O interconnect architecture built for fault tolerance and scalability.

8. A method of handling data in a network device, the method comprising:

receiving incoming data at a media port;

forwarding the data to a high speed docking station;

passing packed data to a master;

processing at least a portion of the packed data by the master; and

forwarding the data to another media port based on the processed contents of the at least a portion of data;

wherein a first media type of the media port is the same or different from a second media type of the another media port.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the media port further comprises a port and a packet lane connected to the docking station and wherein the step of forwarding the data to a high speed docking station comprises forwarding data through the packet lane to the docking station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forwarding the data to another media port comprises forwarding the data to a second high speed docking station communicating with the another media port.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second high speed docking station is connected to a second master and the another media port communicates with a third high speed docking station connected to the second master and the forwarding occurs between the first master, the second high speed docking station, the second master and the third high speed docking station.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to at least one of a IEEE 802.3 specifications, IEEE 802.11 specifications, a wireless communication specification which supports data, voice and content-centric applications, IEEE 1394 specifications, communications specifications for cable modems, Synchronous Optical Network specifications, or specifications for a switched based serial I/O interconnect architecture built for fault tolerance and scalability.

13. An apparatus for handling data in a network device, the apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving incoming data at a media port;

forwarding means for forwarding the data to a high speed docking station;

passing means for passing packed data to a master;

processing means for processing at least a portion of the packed data by the master; and

forwarding means for forwarding the data to another media port based on the processed contents of the at least a portion of data;

wherein a first media type of the media port is the same or different from a second media type of the another media port.