Patent ID: 7512695
Filing Date: 2009-03-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of stripping header information from a data packet received at a source port of an interconnect device and appending thereon to at least a portion of the stripped raw data, tag bits that are interpreted at a destination port of the interconnect device for deriving information about the data packet at the destination port, or for responding to instructions related to carrying out specific actions at the destination port, the method including: receiving the data packet at the source port of the interconnect device; stripping away header information from the data packet for extracting a payload from the data packet; generating a tag containing two tag bits that provide four types of information, the four types of information including a) a null code for indicating that no action is required at the destination port, b) an escape code for indicating that the payload contains one of a first value that is to be interpreted at the destination port for deriving information about the data packet or a second value that is an instruction to the destination port for carrying out a specified action in the destination port, c) a data code for indicating that the payload contains data other than a last data byte, and d) a mark code for indicating that the payload contains the last data byte of a good data packet; appending the tag to the extracted payload; communicating the tag and the payload to the destination port of the interconnect device; and interpreting the tag at the destination port, the interpreting comprising: