Patent ID: 7724762
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network communication device, comprising: a plurality of ports, each port configured to communicate with one or more network devices; and a shared time-division multiplexed bus coupling the plurality of ports to each other, the bus providing a shared path for two or more concurrent bus transfers originated by a first port of the plurality of ports, and the two or more concurrent bus transfers comprising information, wherein each of the plurality of ports is assigned an individual time slot from a plurality of time slots; at least one of the plurality of ports is configured to detect a presenting of the concurrent bus transfer on the shared time-division multiplexed bus, wherein the concurrent bus transfers are time-division multiplexed with other bus transfers originating from other ports; wherein the shared time-division multiplexed bus comprises a plurality of port map bits, a port map bit of said plurality of port map bits corresponding to a second port of the plurality of ports; and wherein the second port receives time-interleaved bus transfers from two or more of the plurality of ports and is configured to forward the information to the one or more network devices if the port map bit is asserted and if the asserted port map bit corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of ports.