Patent ID: 6999410
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for the transmission and the reception of data comprising: a plurality of links, each link comprising an input and an output, and each input and each output is associated a respective 2×2 switching device, at least one active terminating board coupled to each input and output associated with a link for transmitting data, at least one terminating board that is able to replace a defective active terminating board, the at least one terminating board comprising means to test the quality of the link to which it is associated and to compare said quality to a predetermined criteria and to generate a control signal to first control means of said terminating board, wherein the first control means replaces the defective link by another link if said quality does not comply with the predetermined criteria, and second control means coupled to the at least one active and spare terminating boards to modify the operation of at least one of said switching devices to replace a failed active terminating board by the at least one spare terminating board, wherein one terminal of each switching device is coupled to the corresponding input or output of a link, one terminal is coupled to the at least one active terminating board, one terminal is coupled to another switching device and the remaining terminal is coupled to either another switching device or to the at least one spare terminating board.