Patent ID: 6873630

Claim:
A method of transmitting a communication from a first network entity to a second network entity, wherein the first network entity and the second network entity are coupled to a communication medium, comprising: receiving a communication from a process operating on a first network entity, wherein the communication is directed to a second network entity; receiving said communication at a distribution module of a network interface device from a medium access control module across a first interface, wherein said distribution module is configured to distribute portions of said communication among a plurality of communication channels; distributing elements of said communication into multiple portions, each said portion corresponding to one of a plurality of channels established to convey a communication between said first network entity and said second network entity; encoding a first portion of said communication with a first starting delimiter; encoding a second portion of said communication with a second starting delimiter, wherein said second starting delimiter is different from said first starting delimiter; sending said first portion of said communication on a first channel established on a first communication medium coupled to said first network entity and said second network entity; and sending said second portion of said communication on a second channel established on a second communication medium coupled to said first network entity and said second network entity; wherein said communication is transmitted to said second entity at a data rate in excess of one gigabit per second.