Patent ID: 6901056

Claim:
A system comprising: a first domain including a first plurality of clients; a second domain including a second plurality of clients; a first central repeating level coupled to said first domain and said second domain, wherein said first central repeating level includes a first counter, and a first control unit. wherein said first central repeating level is configured to receive and convey transactions corresponding to said first plurality of clients during a first time period that corresponds to a first plurality of counter values of said first counter, and wherein said first central repeating level is configured to receive and convey transactions corresponding to said second plurality of clients during a second time period that, corresponds to a second plurality of counter values of said first counter; and a second central repeating level coupled to said first central repeating level, wherein said second central repeating level includes a second counter; wherein said second central repeating level is configured to receive and convey transactions corresponding to said first plurality of clients during a third time period that corresponds to a first plurality of counter values of said second counter, and wherein said second central repeating level is configured to receive and convey transactions corresponding to said second plurality of clients during a fourth time period that corresponds to a second plurality of counter values of said second counter; wherein the first control unit is configured to cause the first time period associated with the first central repeating level for receiving and conveying a first transaction corresponding to the first plurality of clients to overlap with the third time period associated with the second central repeating level for receiving and conveying the first transaction.