Patent ID: 7650455

Claim:
A data communications apparatus, comprising: a. a central device that includes a plurality of central port pairs, each central port pair including an input port and an output port; and b. a plurality of communication devices arranged in a spoke and ring configuration, in which each communication device is part of a communication spoke of a plurality of communication spokes, each communication spoke being in communication with a different central port pair, and in which each communication device is also a part of a communication ring of a plurality of communication rings, so that each communication device in a communication ring belongs to a different communication spoke, wherein each spoke includes more than one communication device and wherein each ring includes more than one communication device and wherein the spoke and ring configuration is configured so that data is transmitted in a first direction in a first ring of the plurality of rings and so that data is transmitted in a second direction, different from the first direction, in a second ring of the plurality of rings.