Inter-networking devices for use with physical layer information
First Claim
1. An inter-networking device comprising:
- a plurality of ports;
inter-networking functionality to perform an inter-networking function for packets received on the ports; and
functionality to receive cable information, wherein at least a portion of the cable information was stored in or on cabling and read therefrom and communicated to the inter-networking device;
wherein the cable information read from the cabling includes information that describes the cabling;
wherein the inter-networking functionality performs the inter-networking function using the cable information read from the cabling that describes the cabling.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One exemplary embodiment is directed to an inter-networking device that performs at least one inter-networking function using physical layer information about the network of which the device is a part. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to capturing physical layer information about physical communication media that is attached to an inter-networking device. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a technique for generating a spanning tree and/or forwarding database information for a plurality of switches in a network at a central location. The spanning tree and/or forwarding database information is generated at the central location using information including physical layer information about devices and physical communication media in the network. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to an ETHERNET physical layer device having integrated support for capturing physical layer information about the physical communication media connected to the ETHERNET physical layer device.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. An inter-networking device comprising:
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a plurality of ports; inter-networking functionality to perform an inter-networking function for packets received on the ports; and functionality to receive cable information, wherein at least a portion of the cable information was stored in or on cabling and read therefrom and communicated to the inter-networking device; wherein the cable information read from the cabling includes information that describes the cabling; wherein the inter-networking functionality performs the inter-networking function using the cable information read from the cabling that describes the cabling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system comprising:
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a plurality of connector assemblies coupled to a network, each of the connector assemblies comprising a plurality of ports, wherein each of the connector assemblies is configured to read cable information stored on or in cabling that is connected to the ports of the respective connector assembly; and an inter-networking device coupled to the network, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to receive at least a portion of the cable information read by the connector assemblies from the cabling attached thereto, the cable information describing the cabling; and wherein the inter-networking device performs at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the cable information received by the inter-networking device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An inter-networking device comprising:
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a plurality of ports; inter-networking functionality that performs at least one inter-networking function for packets received on the ports; and wherein the inter-networking device is configured to read cable information stored in or on cabling attached to the inter-networking device, the cable information describing the cabling; and wherein the inter-networking device is configured to send, to an aggregation point, at least some of the cable information read from the cabling attached to the inter-networking device, wherein the aggregation point is coupled to a network to which the inter-networking device is also coupled; wherein the inter-networking functionality is configured to perform at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the cable information read from the cabling attached to the inter-networking device. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A system comprising:
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an inter-networking device comprising a plurality of ports and inter-networking functionality that performs at least one inter-networking function, wherein the inter-networking device is configured to read cable information stored in or on cabling attached to the inter-networking device, the cable information describing the cabling; and an aggregation point that is communicatively coupled to the inter-networking device; wherein the inter-networking device is configured to send, to the aggregation point, at least some of the cable information read from the cabling attached to the inter-networking device; and wherein the aggregation point is configured to store at least some of the cable information sent by the inter-networking device to the aggregation point; wherein the inter-networking functionality is configured to perform at least one inter-networking function using at least a portion of the cable information that describes the cabling. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification