Patent ID: 6320864
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for performing logical multicasting of a cell having a predetermined number of leaves from an output port of a network device comprising the steps of:pre-appending an internal cell header containing a multicast identifier in said cell;in a first storing step, storing said logical multicast cell in a first output cell buffer of a plurality of output cell buffers associated with said output port, wherein each one of said plurality of output cell buffers is in electrical communication with a single communications link;in a first transmitting step, transmitting in a predetermined sequence a predetermined number of leaf cells corresponding to said leaves of said logical multicast cell onto said communications link from said first output cell buffer, said leaf cells including a last leaf cell corresponding to a last leaf of said leaves;in a second storing step, storing at least one other cell in a second output cell buffer of said plurality of output cell buffers; andin a second transmitting step, transmitting said at least one other cell over said communications link from said second output cell buffer between two of said leaf cells transmitted from said first output cell buffer in said predetermined sequence.