Method of handling data in a network device

• US 7,054,977 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ambe, Shekhar, Kadambi, Shiri, Relan, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US11/176,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/104, 710/105, 710300-304, 710/100, 710/62, 710/72, 709/227, 709/249, 709/223, 709/236, 709/208, 370/400, 370/402, 370/902, 370/907, 370/813, 370/913, 398/118, 398/140, 398/58, 455/550.1, 715/111
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40071 Packet processing; Packet format adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific network H04N21/2381, H04N21/4363, H04N21/4381; packet switches H04L49/00; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/102 using shared medium, e.g. bus or ring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network device for handling data and a method for handling data in a network device are disclosed. The network device includes at least one media port and at least one high speed docking station, communicating with the at least one media port. At least one master is provided in the network device, where the at least one master is connected to the at least one high speed docking station. The master is configured to handle and process data received by the at least one media port and passed to the master through the at least one high speed docking station. The network device is configured to handle media ports of different media types. Thus, the device can handle data received through different media ports that have different media types with the same master, making the network device easily configured to meet a customer'"'"'s needs.

Claims

1. A method of handling data in a network device, said method comprising:

receiving incoming data at a media port;

forwarding said data to a high speed docking station;

packing said data;

passing said packed data to a master;

processing at least a portion of said packed data by said master; and

forwarding said data to another media port based on the processed contents of said at least a portion of data;

wherein a first media type of said media port is the same or different from a second media type of said another media port.

2. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said media port further comprises a port and a packet lane connected to said docking station and wherein said step of forwarding said data to a high speed docking station comprises forwarding data through the packet lane to the docking station.

3. A method of handling data as recited in claim 2, wherein said packet lane comprises a point to point bus providing a direct connection between said port and said high speed docking station.

4. A method of handling data as recited in claim 2, wherein said packet lane comprises a portion of a shared bus, wherein a shared bus protocol mediates the flow of data between said port and said high speed docking station.

5. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of forwarding said data to another media port comprises forwarding said data to a second high speed docking station communicating with said another media port.

6. A method of handling data as recited in claim 5, wherein the second high speed docking station is connected to a second master and the another media port communicates with a third high speed docking station connected to the second master and said forwarding occurs between the first master, the second high speed docking station, the second master and the third high speed docking station.

7. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to IEEE 802.3 specifications.

8. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to IEEE 802.11 specifications.

9. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to a wireless communication specification which supports data, voice and content-centric applications.

10. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to IEEE 1394 specifications.

11. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to communications specifications for cable modems.

12. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to Synchronous Optical Network specifications.

13. A method of handling data as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving an incoming data at a media port comprises receiving data according to specifications for a switched based serial I/O interconnect architecture built for fault tolerance and scalability.