Patent ID: 7383354
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A data communications network, comprising: a plurality of data communications rings, the plurality of rings including a first ring, a second ring, and a third ring, wherein at least the second ring is configured for spatial reuse; at least one first node coupled to the first ring, the at least one first node including a first end station, the first end station having an associated address; at least one second node coupled to the second ring; a first bridge configured to link the first ring to the second ring; and a second bridge configured to link the second ring to the third ring, wherein each of the first and second bridges has an associated identifier, wherein the second bridge: (1) at least one packet at least one packet, the at least one received packet including an ingress identifier, an egress identifier, and a source end station address; analyzing the ingress identifier of the received packet to determine whether the ingress identifier corresponds to the first bridge identifier; analyzing the source end station address of the received packet to determine whether the source end station address corresponds to the first end station address; and in the event the ingress identifier and the source end station address of the received packet correspond to the first bridge identifier and the first end station address, respectively, learning an association between the first bridge and the first end station coupled to the first ring, and, (2) upon receiving a packet destined for the first end station: (i) in the event the association between the first bridge and the first end station coupled to the first ring has not yet been learned, forwarding, on the second ring, the received packet as a broadcast transmission in a manner indicating that the packet is to be examined by the first bridge and each of the at least one second node coupled to the second ring, and (ii) in the event the association between the first bridge and the first end station coupled to the first ring has been learned, making the egress identifier of the received packet correspond to the first bridge identifier, forwarding, on the second ring, the received packet as a unicast transmission from the second bridge to the first bridge, and removing, at the first bridge, the received packet from the second ring to permit spatial reuse of the second ring.