Patent ID: 6301256
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A multi-port bridge for interconnecting a plurality of segments of a local area network, the multi-port bridge comprising:a) a communication bus having a plurality of signal lines;b) a plurality of ports coupled to the communication bus, each port for receiving data packets from a corresponding segment of the local area network and for transmitting data packets bridged by the multi-port bridge to the corresponding segment, wherein each signal line from among the plurality of signal lines is assigned to a respective port among the plurality of ports; andc) a control circuit coupled to the communication bus, wherein the control circuit determines which of the plurality of ports are a destination for each packet based upon a destination address contained in the packet and wherein the control circuit notifies a source port for each packet whether the source port is also a destination for the packet by applying a selected logic level to the signal line of the source port and, if the source port is also a destination for the packet, the packet is not transmitted by the source port to its corresponding segment.