Patent ID: 8134918
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: H04B,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A hub for interconnecting a plurality of communications channels on a loop comprising: a port connected to a Fibre channel fabric, the port including a transmit SERDES and a receiver SERDES; a first hub circuit, the first hub circuit including an input connected to the transmit SERDES of the port, the first hub circuit including a port bypass circuit coupled between the input and an output of the first hub circuit, a first interface converter module coupled to the first hub circuit, the first interface converter module being configured to couple to a first device, a second hub circuit, the second hub circuit including an input, the second hub circuit including a port bypass circuit coupled between the input and an output of the second hub circuit, a second interface converter module coupled to the second hub circuit, the second interface converter module being configured to couple to a second device, the input of the second hub circuit being serially connected to the output of first hub circuit, the output of the second hub circuit being connected to the receiver SERDES of the port, and control logic connected to the first hub circuit and second hub circuit whereby the control logic is configured to allow a transmitted frame to bypass the first or second device by transmitting the flame through the port bypass circuit of one or more of the first and second hub circuits.