Patent ID: 7505486

Claim:
A sending node comprising: a buffer configured to receive at least one data block having M data bits in an original bit order; and a multiplexer module coupled to the buffer and adapted to couple to a network connection having at least M data channels to form a full network data path comprising M functioning data channels, and configured to receive the at least one data block and to receive a status signal indicative of functioning and non-functioning data channels, configured to provide the at least one data block in a full transmission bit order via the full network data path at a full data block transmission rate, and configured to provide the at least one data block in a degraded transmission bit order at a degraded data block transmission rate via a selected degraded network data path comprising at least one but less than M functioning data channels; wherein the M network connection data channels are segregated to form N data channel groups, wherein M is an integer greater than one, and N is an integer ranging from two to M, and wherein the full network data path comprises N data channel groups and the selected degraded network data path comprises at least one, but less than N, data channel groups; and wherein the multiplexer module comprises N multiplexers, wherein each multiplexer has an N-to-one ratio and has an output coupled to a corresponding data channel group.