Patent ID: 9100210
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A gateway for connecting a device level ring (DLR) network to a spanning tree (ST) network comprising: a first and second port connectable to devices in a DLR network to communicate an advertise message and general messages with other devices connected in the DLR network, wherein the advertise message includes a precedence value unique to the gateway; at least one third port connectable to devices in the ST network to communicate general messages with other devices connected in the ST network; and a controller communicating with the first, second, and third ports to operate in at least two states including an active state and a backup state, wherein: when the controller is operating in the active state, the controller transmits the advertise message and the general messages on the DLR network between the first port and the second port and transmits the general messages between the DLR network and the ST network via the at least one third port and at least one of the first port and the second port, when the controller is operating in the backup state, the controller listens for at least one additional advertise message generated by another gateway, transmits the general messages on the DLR network between the first port and the second port, and blocks the general between the DLR network and the ST network by blocking messages between the at least one third port and the first and second ports, the controller enters the active state when no additional advertise message is received within a predetermined time or when the precedence value for the gateway has a higher precedence than the precedence value of another gateway received in any additional advertise message, and the controller enters the backup state when the precedence value for the gateway has a lower precedence than the in any additional advertise message received.