Staged partitioned communication bus for a multi-port bridge for a local area network
First Claim
1. An apparatus having a staged partitioned bus for transferring data, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a first bus segment having a first plurality of (n) signal lines and coupled to a first plurality of ports;
b. a second bus segment having a second plurality of (n) signal lines and coupled to a second plurality of ports;
c. a multiplexer coupled to the first bus segment and the second bus segment;
d. memory means coupled to the multiplexer for temporarily storing data undergoing communication between the first bus segment and the second bus segment e. a first port among the first plurality of ports;
f. a second port among the second plurality of ports; and
g. a control means coupled to the multiplexer wherein the control means selectively conditions the multiplexer to provide access to the memory means by the first port and by the second port.
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Abstract
A staged partitioned communication bus for interconnecting the ports of a multi-port bridge for a local area network. The communication bus is partitioned into a plurality of data bus segments. Each data bus segment is coupled to one or more ports of the multi-port bridge and includes a same number of signal lines. A multiplexer is coupled to each data bus segment and to a memory device. A bus controller is coupled to each port and to the multiplexer. Each port requests access to the memory device from the bus controller for storing packets in the memory device and for retrieving packets therefrom. In response, the bus controller conditions the multiplexer to provide a signal path between the memory device to and the data bus segment which includes the requesting port. The memory device temporarily stores packets undergoing communication between the ports. Accordingly, a source port for a packet transfers the packet to the memory device via the multiplexer and, then, a destination port for the packet retrieves the packet from the memory device via the multiplexer. If the source port and the destination port are on a same data bus segment and the destination port is not currently busy, the destination port receives the packet directly from the source port as the source port stores the packet in the memory device. A look-up bus can be included, which is operable independently of the staged partitioned bus, for correlating destination addresses for packets to identifications of destination ports.
224 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus having a staged partitioned bus for transferring data, the apparatus comprising:
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a. a first bus segment having a first plurality of (n) signal lines and coupled to a first plurality of ports;
b. a second bus segment having a second plurality of (n) signal lines and coupled to a second plurality of ports;
c. a multiplexer coupled to the first bus segment and the second bus segment;
d. memory means coupled to the multiplexer for temporarily storing data undergoing communication between the first bus segment and the second bus segment e. a first port among the first plurality of ports;
f. a second port among the second plurality of ports; and
g. a control means coupled to the multiplexer wherein the control means selectively conditions the multiplexer to provide access to the memory means by the first port and by the second port. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A multi-port bridge having a staged partitioned bus for transferring data between ports of the multi-port bridge, the multi-port bridge comprising:
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a. a first data bus segment having a first plurality of (n) signal lines;
b. a first plurality of ports coupled to the first data bus segment;
c. a second data bus segment having a second plurality of (n) signal lines;
d. a second plurality of ports coupled to the second data bus segment;
e. a multiplexer having a first input coupled to the first data bus segment, a second input coupled to the second data bus segment and an output;
f. a memory device coupled to the output of the multiplexer whereby data is selectively communicated between a first select port within the first plurality of ports and the memory device and between a second select port within the second plurality of ports and the memory device according to a condition of the multiplexer and g. a controller coupled to the multiplexer to condition the multiplexer. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A multi-port bridge having a staged partitioned bus for transferring data between ports of the multi-port bridge, the multi-port bridge comprising:
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a. a first data bus segment having a first plurality of (n) signal lines;
b. a first plurality of ports coupled to the first data bus segment;
c. a second data bus segment having a second plurality of (n) signal lines;
d. a second plurality ports coupled to the second data bus segment;
e. a multiplexer coupled to the first data bus segment and to the second data bus segment;
f. a memory device coupled to the multiplexer wherein data is selectively communicable between the first data bus segment and the memory device and between the second data bus segment and the memory device according to a condition of the multiplexer;
g. a look-up bus coupled to each of the first plurality of ports and to each of the second plurality of ports; and
h. a look-up table coupled to the look-up bus to store node addresses in association with port identifications. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of transferring data between ports of a multi-port bridge, the method comprising steps of:
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a. receiving a first data packet into a source port for the first data packet;
b. conditioning a multiplexer to provide a first signal path from the source port to a memory device, wherein the first signal path is common to the first plurality of ports including the source port;
c. transferring the first data packet from the source port to the memory device;
d. conditioning the multiplexer to provide a second signal path from the memory device to a destination port for the first data packet, wherein the second signal path is common to a second plurality of ports including the destination port; and
e. transferring the first data packet from the memory device to the destination port. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
a. receiving a second data packet into a source port for the second data packet wherein the source port for the first data packet is included in the ports coupled to the first data bus segment; and
b. transferring the second data packet to a destination port for the second data packet wherein the destination port for the second data packet is also included in the ports coupled to the first data bus segment wherein the step of transferring is performed via the first data bus segment.
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25. The method according to claim 21 further comprising a step of requesting access to the memory device by the source port.
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26. The method according claim 25 further comprising a step of granting access to the memory device wherein the step of granting access is performed in response to the step of requesting access and wherein the step of transferring the first data packet to the memory device is performed in response to the step of granting access.
Specification