Patent ID: 6097729
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network switcher for transferring data between a network communication unit and a plurality of nodes, each node issuing a node-information signal to the network switcher when the node wants to transfer data to a remote node, said network switcher comprising:a plurality of reception interface units, each being coupled between the network communication unit and one of the nodes, for transferring data from the nodes to the network communication unit; when receiving a node-information signal from the associated node, each reception interface unit being capable of determining whether the node and the destination of the node-information signal belong to the same group; if yes, said reception interface unit allowing the transfer of the node-information signal to the network communication unit; anda plurality of output interface units, each being coupled between the network communication unit and one of the nodes, for transferring data from the network communication unit to the nodes; when receiving an incoming node-information signal from the network communication unit that is to be transferred to a certain node connected to the network switcher, each output interface unit being capable of determining whether the destination and the source of the incoming node-information signal belong to the same group; if yes, said output interface unit allowing the transfer of the incoming node-information signal to the destination node;wherein each of said reception interface units includes:a package buffer, connected to the associated node of the reception interface unit, for temporary storage of the packet of the node-information signal issued by the associated node,a Destination Address Latcher, connected to receive the node-information signal from the node, for generating a Destination Address signal and a Destination Address Latch signal,a Source Address Latcher, connected to receive the node-information signal from the node, for generating a Source Address signal,multiplexer means, connected to receive the Destination Address signal and the Source Address signal respectively from said Destination Address Latcher and said Source Address Latcher, for selectively outputting the Destination Address signal and the Source Address signal,an address generator connected to receive the output of said multiplexer means, when the output of said multiplexer means is the Destination Address signal, said address generator generating a Destination Address Control signal, a Destination Port signal, a Destination Address Group signal, and a Destination Address buffer signal; and when the output of said multiplexer means is the Source Address signal, said address generator generating a Source Address Control signal, a Source Address Group signal, and a Source Address buffer signal,a group decoder, coupled to receive the Destination Address Group signal and the Source Address Group signal from said address generator, for generating a Group check signal indicating whether the Destination Address and the Source Address belong to the same group,a decoder, coupled to said Destination Address Latcher, said Source Address Latcher, said address generator, and said group decoder, for generating either a Remote-pkt signal, a Local-pkt signal, or a Broadcast-pkt signal in response to the Destination Address Latch signal, the Source Address Latch signal, the Destination Address Control signal, the Destination Port signal, the Destination Address buffer signal, the Source Address Control signal, the Source Address buffer signal, and the Group check signal,a remoter, coupled to said address generator and said decoder, for generating a Remote Control signal and a Remote-Access Control signal in response to the Destination Port signal and either the Local-pkt signal, the Broadcast-pkt signal, or the Broadcast-pkt signal, andDMA controller, coupled to the remoter, for generating and transfers a DMA control signal to said package buffer in response to the Remote-Access Control signal from said remoter, said package buffer outputting and transferring the packet of the received node-information signal to the destination node in response to the DMA control signal.