Gigabuffer lite repeater scheme

• US 6,111,890 A
• Filed: 07/30/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level One Communications, Inc. (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Level One Communications, Inc. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Rao, Sailesh Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, SEEMA SRINIVAS
• Application Number:
  US08/902,698
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 370/445-447, 370/274, 370/285, 370/419, 370/420, 370/461, 370/462, 370/463, 370/492, 370/501, 370/502, 370/319, 370/329, 370/344, 370/347, 370/522, 370/425, 340/825.5, 340/825.01-825.03, 359/136
• US Class Current: 370/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/52 by attributing bandwidth to queues

Abstract

A gigabuffer repeater transmission protocol minimizes the amount of buffering necessary at the repeater. Minimum buffer memory requirements are accomplished by using the initial portion of the data packet as the "Request to Send" message and waits, if necessary, until it receives a "Clear to Send" signal from the repeater. Thus, the repeater retains the majority of the buffering at the source of the data, where it is typically cheapest. Further, the repeater transmission scheme can be applied to centrally arbitrated repeaters.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting data packets between a repeater and a plurality of Data Terminal Equipment, comprising the steps of:

receiving on a first port of the repeater a first data packet transmitted from a first Data Terminal Equipment device, the data packet being no greater than the round trip delay of the link between the repeater and the first Data Terminal Equipment device;

storing the data packet in a buffer for the first port;

sending a CTS signal to the first Data Terminal Equipment to indicate permission for the first Data Terminal Equipment to complete the transmission of the data; and

broadcasting the data packet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data transmission is complete if the data packet is shorter than the round trip delay of the link.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first Data Terminal Equipment device waits until a CTS signal is received before sending another data packet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving step further comprises the step of breaking a service data unit into packets, a first packet being selected to be shorter than the round trip delay of a link to the repeater, transmitting the first packet to the repeater and receiving the packet on a first port of the repeater.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the repeater is a gigabit per second repeater.

6. A method of providing increased bandwidth utilization and minimum buffer memory requirements for a network having a repeater coupling data terminal equipment devices, comprising the steps of:

determining a first active port on a repeater;

receiving a first data packet on the first active port, the first data packet being shorter than a link delay associated the first active port, an initial portion of the data packet acting as a Request to Send (RTS) message;

storing data packets from inactive ports in a buffer for each of the inactive ports;

sending a Continue-To-Send (CTS) signal to a first DTE coupled to the first active port after receipt of the first data packet, the CTS signal indicating to the first DTE permission to complete transmission of the data; and

broadcasting data packets received on the active port.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

selecting one of the inactive ports as a new active port once transmission on the first active port is completed;

emptying the buffer of the new active port; and

sending a CTS signal to a new DTE coupled to the new active port for indicating permission for the new DTE to continue data transmission.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a DTE of an inactive port waits until a CTS signal is received before sending data packets once the buffer associated with the inactive port is filled.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining an active port comprises the steps of identifying that only one port is transmitting data and selecting the port transmitting data as the active port.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining an active port comprises the step of selecting at random one of a plurality of ports transmitting data to be the active port.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining an active port comprises the step of selecting one of a plurality of ports transmitting data to be the active port using a round robin method.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the repeater is a gigabit per second repeater.

13. A network system, comprising:

a plurality of data terminal equipment devices for transmitting data packets; and

a repeater having a plurality of ports, each port being coupled to each of the plurality of data terminal equipment devices, the repeater determining a first active port for receiving a first data packet wherein an initial portion of the data packet acts as a Request to Send (RTS) message, storing data packets from inactive ports in a buffer for each of the inactive ports, sending a Continue-To-Send (CTS) signal to a first DTE coupled to the active port after receipt of the first data packet, and broadcasting data packets received on the first active port from the DTE.

14. The network system of claim 13 wherein the first data packet comprises a data packet shorter than a link delay associated the first active port.

15. The network system of claim 13 wherein the CTS signal indicates to the first DTE permission to complete transmission of data.

16. The network system of claim 13 wherein the repeater selects one of the inactive ports as a new active port once transmission on the first active port is completed, empties the buffer of the new active port and sends a CTS signal to a new DTE coupled to the new active port for indicating permission for the new DTE to continue data transmission.

17. The network system of claim 16 wherein a DTE of an inactive port waits until a CTS signal is received before sending data packets once the buffer associated with the inactive port is filled.

18. The network system of claim 13 wherein the repeater determines an active port by identifying that only one port is transmitting data and selecting the port transmitting data to be the active port.

19. The network system of claim 13 wherein the repeater determines an active port by selecting at random one of a plurality of ports transmitting data to be the active port.

20. The network system of claim 13 wherein the repeater determines an active port by selecting one of a plurality of ports transmitting data to be the active port using a round robin method.

21. The network system of claim 13 wherein the repeater is a gigabit per second repeater.