Patent ID: 6243380
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for transmitting packets comprising:receiving a packet of data through a first port interface of a plurality of port interfaces;mapping the data into a first data-link frame for transmission over a predetermined point-to-point connection; storing, in a destination address field of the first data-link frame, an interface number representing the first port interface in place of a physical destination address of the first data-link frame;forwarding the first data-link frame via the point-to-point connection from a first unit to a second unit;establishing a first logical channel between the second unit and a destination of the data;storing in a table accessible by the second unit, the interface number representing the first port interface being stored in an entry of the table corresponding to the first logical channel;reading the table by the second unit to determine if the interface number has been stored in a table entry corresponding to the first logical channel in response to receiving a packet over the first logical channel;in response to the interface number being stored in the table entry corresponding to the first logical channel, mapping the packet by the second unit into a second data-link frame and storing, in the address field of the second data-link frame, the interface number representing the first port interface;receiving from the second unit the second data-link frame in response to the first data-link frame, the interface number, representing the first port interface, is stored in an address field of the second data-link frame; andreading the address field of the second data-link frame to determine through which interface the response is to be forwarded.