Patent ID: 6112251
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A switch for use in a virtual communications system having multiple local area networks interconnected by multiple switches through a trunk that has one or more trunk stations connected directly thereto, the switch comprising:a first communications port connected directly to a first local area network within a virtual local area network configured to include a second local area network and a trunk station;a second communications port connected directly to the trunk; anda switch control to detect a multicast communication from the first local area network having a multicast destination address representing desired destination addresses, said desired destination addresses including the trunk station, to append a VLAN header having a special destination address, different than but corresponding to the multicast address, to the multicast communication to form a VLAN communication, and to direct transmission of the VLAN communication to the second communication port,wherein the special destination address is not recognizable by the trunk station as a valid multicast address.