ETHERNET WIDE AREA NETWORKS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. For use with a first local area network having a first local area Ethernet switch and a second local area network having a second local area Ethernet switch, an Ethernet wide area network, comprising:
- a first network Ethernet switch having a first network interface and a first service interface, the first service interface to communicate with the first local area Ethernet switch;
a second network Ethernet switch having a second network interface and a second service interface, the second service interface to communicate with the second local area Ethernet switch; and
a root node network Ethernet switch having a third network interface to communicate with the first network interface with the first network Ethernet switch and a fourth network interface to communicate with the second network interface of the second network Ethernet switch, the first, second, third and fourth network interfaces to route packets from the first local area Ethernet switch to the second local area Ethernet switch without recognizing subscriber LAN MAC addresses associated with either the first or second local area Ethernet switches.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ethernet wide area networks and methods are disclosed. A disclosed example Ethernet wide area network includes a first network Ethernet switch having a first network interface and a first service interface. The first service interface is to communicate with a first local area Ethernet switch. The network also includes a second network Ethernet switch having a second network interface and a second service interface. The second service interface is to communicate with the second local area Ethernet switch. The network also includes a root node network Ethernet switch having a third network interface to communicate with the first network interface with the first network Ethernet switch and a fourth network interface to communicate with the second network interface of the second network Ethernet switch. The first, second, third and fourth network interfaces are to route packets from the first local area Ethernet switch to the second local area Ethernet switch without recognizing subscriber LAN MAC addresses associated with either the first or second local area Ethernet switches.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. For use with a first local area network having a first local area Ethernet switch and a second local area network having a second local area Ethernet switch, an Ethernet wide area network, comprising:
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a first network Ethernet switch having a first network interface and a first service interface, the first service interface to communicate with the first local area Ethernet switch; a second network Ethernet switch having a second network interface and a second service interface, the second service interface to communicate with the second local area Ethernet switch; and a root node network Ethernet switch having a third network interface to communicate with the first network interface with the first network Ethernet switch and a fourth network interface to communicate with the second network interface of the second network Ethernet switch, the first, second, third and fourth network interfaces to route packets from the first local area Ethernet switch to the second local area Ethernet switch without recognizing subscriber LAN MAC addresses associated with either the first or second local area Ethernet switches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. For use with a first local area network having a first local area Ethernet switch and a second local area network having a second local area Ethernet switch, an Ethernet wide area network, comprising:
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a first network Ethernet switch having a first network interface and a first service interface, the first service interface to communicate with the first local area Ethernet switch; a second network Ethernet switch having a second network interface and a second service interface, the second service interface to communicate with the second local area Ethernet switch; and a root node network Ethernet switch having a third network interface to communicate with the first network interface of the first network Ethernet switch and a fourth network interface to communicate with the second network interface of the second network Ethernet switch, a spanning tree associated with the first network Ethernet switch, the second network Ethernet switch and the root node network Ethernet switch including MAC addresses for the first, second, third and fourth service interfaces, but not including MAC addresses of either of the first or second local area Ethernet switches. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An Ethernet network, comprising:
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a first local Ethernet network having a first plurality of hubs; a second local area Ethernet network having a second plurality of hubs; a wide area Ethernet network communicatively coupling the first and second local area Ethernet networks, the wide area Ethernet network having a third plurality of hubs, a sum of the first second and third plurality of hubs exceeding seven. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification