Patent ID: 6215775
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A port for connecting a node to a network loop, the port comprising:(a) a detect element, where the detect element monitors data from the node and from an upstream node, and sets a first flag when a primitive is received at the port, and sets a second flag when a primitive which is a frame termination primitive is received at the port;(b) a frame termination generator, which generates frame termination primitives;(c) a buffer data generator, which generates buffer data;(d) a switching element having a control input, an output, and a plurality of data inputs, where one data input is connected to each of an output of the node, the upstream node, the frame termination generator, and the buffer data generator; and(e) a control element connected to the detect element and the control input of the switching element, where the control element selects, according to the first flag and the second flag, one of the data inputs of the switching element to connect to the output of the switching element to be output by the port to a downstream node, where said control element is arranged to select the data input of the switching element corresponding to the frame termination generator such that the selection does not cause invalid running disparity in a data stream between ports.