Patent ID: 7352694
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for tolerating data line faults in a packet communications switch fabric, the method comprising: accepting information packets including a plurality of cells, at a plurality of ingress port card ports, the plurality of information packets addressing a plurality of egress port card ports; selectively connecting port card ports to port card backplane data links; selectively connecting port card backplane data links and crossbars by fixedly connecting each port card to a corresponding interface of an assigned crossbar, for a particular backplane data link, as follows: sensing a connection fault in a backplane data link as follows: in response to receiving the error message, the port card reselecting a backplane data link; in response to reselecting connections between the port card ports and the port card backplane data links, serially transferring packets through the port cards; and, serially transferring packets through the crossbars to the egress port cards.