Patent ID: 6854031

Claim:
An interconnect for transporting, within a network node, data between a primary circuit component and a secondary circuit component, the interconnect comprising: (a) primary to_mate transmitting means, including a buffer for storing data to be transmitted over the interconnect, and a transmit controlling means for controlling the insertion of control characters into the data to be transmitted; (b) primary from_mate receiving means, including a buffer for storing received data, and a receive controlling means for interpreting control characters inserted into the data; (c) secondary to_mate transmitting means, including a buffer for storing data to be transmitted over the interconnect, and a transmit controlling means for controlling the insertion of control characters into the data stream to be transmitted; (d) secondary from_mate receiving means, including a buffer for storing received data, and a receive controlling means for interpreting the control characters inserted into the data; (e) first linking means for communicating data between the primary to_mate transmitting means and the secondary from_mate receiving means; (f) second linking means for communicating data between the secondary to_mate transmitting means and the primary from_mate receiving means, the second linking means operating distinctly from the first linking means such that data may be transmitted at the same time over the first linking means and the second linking means; (g) whereby the transmit controlling means in the primary to_mate transmitting means is connected with the receive controlling means in the primary from_mate receiving means, and the transmit controlling means in the secondary to_mate transmitting means is connected with the receive controlling means in the secondary from_mate receiving means, such that when a receive controlling means in the respective from_mate receiving means detects that the fill level of the receive buffer is above a threshold, the corresponding to_mate transmit controlling means inserts a transmit off (XOFF) control character in the data, and when the receive controlling means in the respective from_mate receiving means detects a transmit off (XOFF), the corresponding to_mate transmitting means stops transmitting data; and (h) whereby the transmit controlling means in the primary to_mate transmitting means is connected with the receive controlling means in the primary from_mate receiving means, and the transmit controlling means in the secondary to_mate transmitting means is connected with the receive controlling means in the secondary from_mate receiving means, such that when the receive controlling means in the respective from_mate receiving means detects that the fill level of the receive buffer is below a threshold, the corresponding to_mate transmit controlling means inserts a transmit on (XON) control character, and when the receive controlling means in the respective from_mate receiving means detects a XON control character, the corresponding to_mate transmitting means is enabled to transmit data.