Multiport LAN bridge
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for interconnecting communications networks comprising:
- a first bus means for transporting information;
a second bus means for transporting information;
at least one bridge port frame handler means coupled to the first bus means and the second bus means;
said at least one bridge port frame handler means receiving frames from or transmitting frames onto at least one of the communications networks;
a first means for storing data provided by the at least one bridgeport frame handler means coupled to the first bus means;
a first bus arbiter coupled to the first bus means, said first bus arbiter being responsive to requests to grant access to said first bus means;
a transparent bridge routing (TBR) means for processing transparent bridge frames coupled to the second bus means; and
a first controller means, coupled to the transparent bridge routing means and the first bus means, said first controller means controlling the transparent bridge routing means and selected ones of components directly connected to the first bus means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiport bridge includes a plurality of Bridge Port Frame Handler (BPFH) units coupled through a Source Routing bus and a Transparent Bridge Bus to a microcontroller, a Packet Memory and a Transparent Bridge Control Management System (TBCMS). Each Bridge Port Frame Handler unit receives Frames from its attached LAN, forwards selected portions of Source Routing Frames to other Bridge Port Frame Handler Units for further processing. Likewise, selected portions of Transparent Bridge Frames are forwarded to the TBCMS whereat routing information and signature information is extracted and returned to the forwarding BPFH unit for further processing.
110 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for interconnecting communications networks comprising:
-
a first bus means for transporting information; a second bus means for transporting information; at least one bridge port frame handler means coupled to the first bus means and the second bus means;
said at least one bridge port frame handler means receiving frames from or transmitting frames onto at least one of the communications networks;a first means for storing data provided by the at least one bridgeport frame handler means coupled to the first bus means; a first bus arbiter coupled to the first bus means, said first bus arbiter being responsive to requests to grant access to said first bus means; a transparent bridge routing (TBR) means for processing transparent bridge frames coupled to the second bus means; and a first controller means, coupled to the transparent bridge routing means and the first bus means, said first controller means controlling the transparent bridge routing means and selected ones of components directly connected to the first bus means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An improved multi-port bridge for interconnecting local area networks LANs including:
-
a first transmission bus means for transmitting information; at least one Bridge Port Frame Handler means coupled to said first transmission bus means;
said Bridge Port Frame Handler means receiving a frame from a LAN and extracting a destination address DA and/or a source address SA from said frame;a Contents Address Memory CAM for storing addresses of stations connected to the LANs; a first SRAM for storing signature information coupled to the CAM; a transparent bridge control means coupled to said first transmission bus means and to said CAM for receiving DA and/or SA from said at least one Bridge Port Frame Handler means correlating the DA with the addresses in the CAM and upon a match, extracting associated signature information from the SRAM and forwarding the signature information to said at least one bridge port frame handler means. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification