Patent ID: 7894435
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An interconnect agent comprising: a first link interface to receive packets over a first point-to-point link; a second link interface to transmit packets over a second point-to-point link; logic to decide whether a normal packet received over the first link should be either processed at the agent or forwarded over the second link in response to indicator packets that accompany the normal packet; where the logic to decide includes logic to distinguish normal packets from indicator packets, to process a first packet at the agent if the first packet is a normal packet, and to receive a second packet over the first link and forward the second packet over the second link if the first packet is an indicator packet; where an indicator packet comprises a progressively stripped empty indicator packet; and where the progressively stripped empty indicator packet consists of a start bit and an end bit.