Method and apparatus for control of soft handoff usage in radiocommunication

• US 6,560,205 B1
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.), Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Emulex Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hogan, Billy, Corbett, Eddie
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US09/071,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 370/258, 370/256, 370/254, 370/216, 370/222, 370/224, 370/503, 370/227, 370/228, 370/441, 370/442, 370/347, 370/403, 370/407, 370/406, 370/408, 370/405, 370/389, 370/395, 370/252, 370/232, 370/465, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 340/825.52, 340/825.55, 714/2, 714/4, 714/25, 714/47, 714/715, 714/716, 714/717, 714/712, 709/224, 709/251
• US Class Current: 370/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A loop network hub including a hub port with a loop initialization insertion mechanism. The loop initialization insertion mechanism causes a hub port which detects a new node port connection to automatically begin generating loop initialization data. A hub port continues to generate loop initialization data until that hub port receives a loop initialization sequence. The loop initialization data propagates around the loop of the hub, halting ordinary processing. In this way, the entire loop is cleared. Upon receiving a loop initialization sequence, the hub port originating the loop initialization data inserts the new node port into the loop. At this point, loop initialization begins and each node port in the loop network obtains a unique loop network address.

Claims

1. A hub port for connecting a node port to a hub, the hub port comprising:

(a) a switching device, including a first input, a second input, a third input, and a control input;

(b) a hub port transmit circuit;

(c) an incoming internal hub link connected to the second input of the switching device and the hub port transmit circuit;

(d) a first data channel connected to the hub port transmit circuit and to the node port;

(e) a hub port receive circuit which includes a loop, initialization data detect circuit and a hub port output control circuit;

(f) a second data channel connected to the node port and to the hub port receive circuit;

(g) a hub port output control line connecting the hub port output control circuit to the control input of the switching device;

(h) a hub output line connecting the hub port receive circuit to the. first input of the switching device;

(i) a loop initialization data generator;

(j) a loop initialization data line connecting the loop initialization data generator to the third input of the switching device; and

(k) an outgoing internal hub link connected to the switching device.

2. A hub port for connecting a node port to a hub, where the hub includes a plurality of hub ports interconnected in an ordered loop configuration, the hub port comprising:

(a) a data channel connecting the node port to the hub port;

(b) an incoming internal hub link connecting the hub port to a preceding hub port;

(c) an outgoing internal hub link connecting the hub port to a succeeding hub port;

(d) a loop initialization data detect circuit coupled to the data channel;

(e) a loop initialization data generator; and

(f) a hub port output control circuit coupled to the loop initialization data detect circuit, where the hub port output control circuit connects the outgoing internal hub link to one of;

the data channel, the incoming internal hub link, or the loop initialization primitive generator.

3. A method for inserting a node into a loop network, the method comprising;

(a) connecting the node to the loop network;

(b) detecting data generated by the node;

(c) substituting loop initialization data for data generated by the node;

(d) detecting a loop initialization sequence received from the node; and

(e) inserting the node into the loop network in response to detecting the lood initialization sequence.

4. A method for inserting a node port into a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop network, the method comprising:

(a) connecting the node port to the Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop network;

(b) detecting data generated by the node port;

(c) substituting LIP (F7, F7) ordered sets for data generated by the node port;

;

and (d) detecting a LIP primitive sequence received from the node port.

5. A system for inserting a node into a loop network, the system comprising:

(a) means for connecting the node to the loop network;

(b) means for detecting data generated by the node;

(c) means for substituting loop initialization data for data generated by the node; and

(d) means for detecting a loop initialization sequence received from the node.

(e) means for inserting the node into the loop network in response to detecting the loop initialization sequence.

6. A device, comprising:

a loop interface device, connected to a network loop, and receiving data from a first part of said network loop and transmitting data to another. part of said network loop, and also having a connection for receiving data from an associated device;

said loop interface device also including a detector,. which detects the presence of data from said associated device, and causes said network loop to reset upon initially detecting the presence of said data from said associated device.

7. A device as in claim 6 wherein said network loop is a fiber Channel loop, and said causes comprises providing a loop initialization sequence in place of said data from said device.

8. A device as in claim 6 wherein said loop initialization sequence is a LIP (f7, f7) ordered set.

9. A device as in claim 6 further comprising an element which detects a reset command and initiates to reset in response to detecting said reset command.

10. A device as in claim 6 wherein said loop interface device includes a multiplexer, one input of said multiplexer receiving said data, and another input of said multiplexer receiving a loop initialization sequence, and wherein said causes comprises switching said multiplexer to provide said loop initialization sequence.