Patent ID: 7103053
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A network switch for network communications, said network switch comprising: a first data port interface, said first data port interface supporting at least one data port transmitting and receiving data; a second data port interface, said second data port interface supporting at least one data port transmitting and receiving data; a CPU interface, said CPU interface configured to communicate with a CPU; a common memory, said common memory communicating with said first data port interface and said second data port interface; a memory management unit, said memory management unit for communicating data from said first data port interface and said second data port interface and said common memory; and at least two sets of communication channels, with each of said communication channels communicating data and messaging information between said first data port interface, said second data port interface, and said memory management unit, wherein one set of communication channels of the at least two sets of communication channels provides communication from said first and second data port interfaces to said memory management unit and another set of communication channels of the at least two sets of communication channels provides communication from said memory management unit to said first and second data port interfaces, wherein the first data port interface, the second data port interface, the CPU interface, the common memory, the memory management unit and the at least two sets of communication channels are embodied on a single substrate, wherein each set of said at least two sets of communication channels comprises three communication channels, and wherein said three communication channels include a first channel for communicating cell data between data ports of the first data port interface, data ports of the second data port interface, and the common memory, a second channel, synchronously locked with the first channel, for communicating message information corresponding to the cell data on the first channel, and a third channel, shared between the sets of communication channels, independent from said first and second channel, for communicating sideband message information.