Patent ID: 6301224
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: H04B,H04L

Abstract:
A switch for use in a communications system for transmitting traffic from a first user to a second user, the first and second users being interconnected by a primary communications path and a redundant communications path, the switch comprising:one or more ports to receive hello communications indicative of a proper operation of the primary communications path and to receive data communications; anda switch control to monitor receipt of the hello communications, wherein the hello communications are received periodically, to direct forwarding of received data communications up to a threshold, and to drop at least a portion of the received data communications such that forwarded data communications are below the threshold if (i) the received data communications exceeds the threshold and (ii) a failure to receive a first number of successive ones of the periodic hello communications is detected,wherein the switch control is further operative to detect a failure to receive successive ones of the periodic hello communications, and to direct a forwarding of communications between the first user and the second user along the redundant communications path responsive to detecting a failure to receive a second number, which is greater than the first number, of the successive ones of the periodic hello communications.