Patent ID: 6829248
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A communication system for communication of data in a network, and the system comprising:a plurality of communication ports, the communication ports coupled to at least two physical layer devices; an integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device, the switching, segmentation and reassembly device routing and switching data associated with the data packets and the data cells to and from the communication ports and the at least one destination; a memory, the memory storing the content of the data received from the plurality of communication ports and information on corresponding connection identifiers to the plurality of communication ports; and a processor coupled to the memory and the integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device, wherein the integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device is capable of operating in a first switch mode wherein a first data cell physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices communicates a first data cell to a second data cell physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices without intervention of the processor, wherein the integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device is capable of operating in a second switch mode wherein a first data packet physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices communicates a first data packet to a second data packet physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices without intervention of the processor, wherein the integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device is capable of operating in a reassemble mode wherein the first data cell physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices communicates a second data cell to the first data packet physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices, wherein the integrated switching, segmentation and reassembly device is capable of operating in a segmentation mode wherein the first packet physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices communicates a second data packet to the first data cell physical layer device of the at least two physical layer devices, wherein memory includes a free buffer queue, segmentation status queue, a reassembly status queue, and a transmit queue, wherein the first switch mode and the second switch mode utilizes the free buffer queue and the transmit queue without using the reassembly status queue and the segmentation status queue to effect communication.