Patent ID: 6118782
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A network for routing data, the data comprising information and a routing identifier, the network comprising:a) an ATM switch, the switch having a number of switch ports which may receive and transmit the data, each switch port having a receive interface and a transmit interface, the switch transmitting an interrogation packet having information;b) a number of ATM devices including a head device, intermediary devices and a last device, the devices each having only a single device port having only a single receive interface and a single transmit interface which may transmit and receive data, respectively, and each device being adapted to distinguish between the information and the routing identifier, the devices being connected in series to each other in a device chain through each respective transmit interface of a device connected to the receive interface of the next device in the device chain and to a first switch port only through the head device and the last device so that the first switch port may transmit data from its transmit interface to the receive interface of the head device and the receive interface of the first switch port may receive data from the transmit interface of the last device and so that data may be transmitted from the head device through to any succeeding device through any intermediary devices in the device chain, each device receiving the interrogation packet in turn and modifying information in the interrogation packet to record its identity and count in the device chain; andc) a controller which may be programmed with the identities of the ATM devices and which may communicate through the first switch port with a device in the device chain through any intermediary devices in the device chain;in which an ATM device may be programmed with mapping instructions so that data subsequently received by the device may be correctly routed according to the routing identifier.