Patent ID: 9077648
Filing Date: 2015-07-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A data communication system with a plurality of input/output ports for processing incoming data packets arriving at a first input/output port to be outputted via a second input/output port and wherein other incoming data packets arrive at the second input/output port to be outputted via the first input/output port, said system including: a first group of switching units and a second group of switching units, whereby each switching unit has a plurality of input/output interfaces, whereby at least one of said plurality of input/output interfaces of each switching unit of said first group forms an input/output port of said communications system, whereby at least one other input/output interface of each of said switching units of said first group is connected via a communication link with an input/output interface of one of the switching units of said second group, so that a network is formed having at least one loop, whereby the network is logically divided into at least two virtual sub-networks, whereby in operation active network elements of each virtual sub-network have a spanning tree topology, wherein: each switching unit of said first group is configured so that an incoming data packet is assigned a predetermined one of said at least two virtual sub-networks based on the said particular input/output port through which said incoming data packet has arrived and wherein bidirectional data packet transmission between said first input/output port and said second input/output port uses different virtual sub networks per direction each of said other input/output interfaces of said switching units of said first group belong to a predetermined one of said at least two virtual sub-networks, wherein input-output interfaces of the switching units of said first group forming input/output ports of the system belong to all virtual sub-networks, wherein incoming data packets arriving at a particular input/output port are always assigned to the same predetermined one of said at least two virtual sub-networks, wherein switching units allow a physical and logical star topology; wherein, all input/output interfaces of a particular switching unit of said second group belong to the same virtual sub-network; wherein each switching unit of said second group belong to a different virtual sub-network.