Patent ID: 6233704
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer network system, comprising:a first and a second ring network; anda plurality of network nodes, wherein each network node is connected to said first and second ring networks and wherein each network node comprises:a client computer which communicates with packet data; andan interface device, wherein the interface device comprises:a plurality of input and output channel ports wherein each input channel port is connected to one of said first and second ring networks and wherein each output channel port is connected to one of said first and second ring networks;a plurality of input and output client ports connecting the interface device to the client computer;a plurality of receive buffers which accept packet data from the plurality of input channel ports;a plurality of send buffers which accumulate and then transmit data to the plurality of output channel ports;a plurality of bypass buffers, wherein each bypass buffer is connected between one of the plurality of input channel ports and one of the plurality of output channel ports, wherein each bypass buffer is capable of storing a packet arriving from another network node until it can be transmitted on the output channel port to which the bypass buffer is connected; anda plurality of channel port reversers which interconnect the plurality of input channel ports to the plurality of output channel ports and which allow each network node to be folded out of the computer network system.