Patent ID: 6023471
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A virtual chassis system comprising:a bus;a plurality of ports coupled to the bus; anda transmit command generator coupled to the bus, the transmit command generator includes arbitration logic configured to: (1) select one or more paths through the virtual chassis system upon which data is to be forwarded for a particular time interval, wherein one or more menu messages indicating the availability of data for one or more of the plurality of ports are received on one or more of the plurality of ports, the one or more paths are selected based upon one or more received menu messages, each of the one or more paths include a source port and a destination port; and (2) request data for the one or more paths, wherein data for each of the one or more paths is requested by transmitting an order message from each source port, the order message selecting data corresponding to the destination port of the path;wherein data is received at the source port of each selected path and the data is forwarded to the destination port of the corresponding path concurrently with data being forwarded over other of the selected paths during the particular time interval.