Method and apparatus for redundant local area network systems

• US 5,329,521 A
• Filed: 11/12/1992
• Issued: 07/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Barrett, David W., Walsh, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau T.
• Application Number:
  US07/975,315
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 370/13, 370/16, 370/16.1, 370/85.1, 370/85.3, 370/85.9, 370/85.12, 370/85.14, 340/825.01, 371/8.1, 371/8.2, 371/11.1-11.3, 455/8, 375/38
• US Class Current: 370/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40195 by using a plurality of nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A local area network system is provided in which a plurality of communications nodes (14 and 16) are operable to transmit and receive information across a plurality of communications links (10 and 12). A plurality of redundant adapters (18 and 20) are coupled between the communications links (10 and 12) and the communications nodes (14 and 16), such that the communications nodes (14 and 16) are capable of transmitting and receiving information across each of the communications links (10 and 12).

Claims

1. A local area network system, comprising:

a plurality of communications nodes operable to transmit and receive information conveying data signals;

a plurality of communications links for transmission of said information conveying data signals between said plurality of communications nodes; and

a plurality of redundant adapters each of which is coupled between one of said plurality of communications nodes and said plurality of communications links such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes is capable of transmitting and receiving said information conveying signals across each of said plurality of communications links, each of said plurality of redundant adapters including;

a plurality of local area network controllers, each of said plurality of local area network controllers operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals from one of said plurality of communications links;

a node controller coupled to said each of said plurality of local area network controllers and said one of said plurality of communications nodes operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals between said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said node controller is coupled and said plurality of local area network controllers; and

a processor coupled to said node controller and said each of said plurality of local area network controllers and operable to control said node controller and said each of said plurality of local area network controllers such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes receives only said information conveying data signals that include the least transmissions errors.

2. The local area network system of claim 1, wherein said local area network is an Ethernet network.

3. A local area network system, comprising:

a plurality of communications nodes operable to transmit and receive information conveying data signals;

a plurality of communications links for transmission of said information conveying data signals between said plurality of communications nodes; and

a plurality of redundant adapters each of which is coupled between one of said plurality of communications nodes and said plurality of communications links such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes is capable of transmitting and receiving said information conveying signals across each of said plurality of communications links, each of said plurality of redundant adapters including;

a plurality of local area network controllers, each of said plurality of local area network controllers operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals from one of said plurality of communications links;

a node controller coupled to said each of said plurality of local area network controllers and said one of said plurality of communications nodes operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals between said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said node controller is coupled and said plurality of local area network controllers; and

a switch coupled between said node controller and said plurality of local area network controllers such that said node controller receives said information conveying data signals from only one of said plurality of local area network controllers at any one time.

4. The local area network system of claim 3, wherein said switch is controlled by said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled, such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled receives only said information conveying data signals that include the least transmission errors.

5. The local area network system of claim 4, wherein said local area network is an Ethernet network.

6. The local area network system of claim 3, wherein said each of said plurality of redundant adapters further comprises a processor coupled to said switch and operable to control said switch such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled receives only said information conveying data signals that include the least transmission errors.

7. The local area network system of claim 6, wherein said local area network is an Ethernet network.

8. A local area network system, comprising:

a plurality of communications nodes operable to transmit and receive information conveying data signals;

a plurality of communications links for transmission of said information conveying data signals between said plurality of communications nodes; and

a plurality of redundant adapters each of which is coupled between one of said plurality of communications nodes and said plurality of communications links such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes is capable of transmitting and receiving said information conveying data signals across each of said plurality of communications links, each of said plurality of redundant adapters including;

a plurality of local area network controllers, each of said plurality of local area network controllers operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals from one of said plurality of communications links;

a plurality of transmit FIFOs, each of said plurality of transmit FIFOs coupled to one of said plurality of local area network controllers, said each of said plurality of transmit FIFOs for buffering said information conveying data signals transmitted by said one of said plurality of local area network controllers;

a plurality of receive FIFOs, each of said plurality of receive FIFOs coupled to one of said plurality of local area network controllers, said each of said plurality of receive FIFOs for buffering said information conveying data signals received by said one of said plurality of local area network controllers;

a switch;

a node controller coupled to said plurality of transmit FIFOs and said plurality of receive FIFOs via said switch and one of said plurality of communications nodes, said node controller operable to transmit and receive said information conveying data signals between said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said node controller is coupled and said plurality of transmit FIFOs and said plurality of receive FIFOs; and

said switch coupled between said node controller and said plurality of receive FIFOs such that said node controller receives said information conveying data signals from only one of said plurality of local area network controllers at any one time.

9. The local area network system of claim 8, wherein said switch is controlled by said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled, such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled receives only said information conveying data signals that include the least transmission errors.

10. The local area network system of claim 9, wherein said local area network is an Ethernet network.

11. The local area network system of claim 8, wherein said each of said plurality of redundant adapters further comprises a processor coupled to said switch and operable to control said switch such that said one of said plurality of communications nodes to which said each of said plurality of redundant adapters is coupled receives only said information conveying data signals that include the least transmission errors.

12. The local area network system of claim 11, wherein said local area network is an Ethernet network.