Data communication method and apparatus using multiple physical data links

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said communicating step comprises transmitting to said destination, each of said separated packets received in said defined ordered sequence, storing any of said separated packets received out of said defined ordered sequence, and transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in said defined ordered sequence.

Claim 8

A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising transmitting to a destination, each of said separated packets received in said defined sequence, storing any of said separated packets received out of said defined sequence, and transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in said defined sequence.

Claim 11

A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second header comprises at most one byte.

Claim 12

A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said assigned message includes a message sequence number, and wherein one of said plurality of packets is defined as the last packet of said message, said method further comprising detecting the receipt from said links of the last packet of said message, and determining whether the message sequence number of said message is within an allowable range of message sequence numbers.

Claim 13

A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said transmitting the packets of said message over said links step comprises assigning the packets of said message to available ones of said links and transmitting each of the packets of said message on its assigned link, wherein said second header further defines a link sequence number for each packet transmitted on a given one of said links, and wherein said monitoring step comprises determining whether the packets received on each of said links are in order on a per link basis as defined by the link sequence numbers included in those packets.

Claim 14

A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said second header comprises at most one byte.

Claim 15

In a multi-layer communication system having a plurality of logical channels and having multiple physical communication links, said system comprising at the transmitting end a packet layer for dividing source information into packets each defining one of said logical channels, and multiple link layers each associated with one of said links for receiving packets from said transmitting end packet layer and enclosing the received packets in frames for transmission over the associated link; and said system comprising at the receiving end multiple link layers each associated with one of said links for receiving frames from the associated link and extracting packets therefrom and, a packet layer for receiving packets from said receiving end link layers to reform said source information at the receiving end, a method of conveying said source information comprising including a logical channel sequence number in each packet passed from said transmitting end packet layer to said transmitting end link layers and ordering on a per logical channel basis based on logical channel sequence numbers, the packets passed from said receiving end link layers to said receiving end packet layer.

Claim 16

In a multi-layer communication system having a plurality of logical channels and having multiple physical communication links, said system comprising at the transmitting end a packet layer for dividing source information into packets each defining one of said logical channels, and multiple link layers each associated with one of said links for receiving packets from said transmitting end packet layer and enclosing the received packets in frames for transmission over the associated link; and said system comprising at the receiving end multiple link layers each associated with one of said links for receiving frames from the associated link and extracting packets therefrom and, a packet layer for receiving packets from said receiving end link layers to reform said source information at the receiving end, a method of conveying said source information comprising including a logical channel sequence number in each packet passed from said transmitting end packet layer to said transmitting end link layers and ordering on a per logical channel basis based on logical channel sequence numbers, the packets passed from said receiving end link layers to said receiving end packet layer.

Claim 17

A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said system further comprises at the transmitting end a session layer for passing messages, comprising source information and including message sequence numbers, to said transmitting end packet layer, said system further comprising at the receiving end a session layer for receiving messages comprising packets passed from said receiving end packet layer, and wherein said method further comprises determining whether the message sequence numbers of the messages received by said receiving end session layer are within an allowable range of message sequence numbers.

Claim 18

A method in accordance with claim 11 further comprising including a link sequence number in each packet passed from said transmitting end packet layer to each one of said transmitting end link layers, and determining whether the packets extracted by each of said receiving end link layers are in order as defined by the link sequence numbers included in those packets.

Claim 19

An arrangement for conveying information via a plurality of logical channels from a source to a destination having multiple physical links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets defining the same logical channel being transmittable over different ones of said links, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein, and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the logical channel sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 20

An arrangement for conveying information via a plurality of logical channels from a source to a destination having multiple physical links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets defining the same logical channel being transmittable over different ones of said links, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein, and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the logical channel sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 21

An arrangement in accordance with claim 14 further comprising means responsive to the ordering of said separated packets for transmitting the ordered packets of each logical channel to said destination.

Claim 22

An arrangement in accordance with claim 14 further comprising means for transmitting to said destination, each of said separated packets received in sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by the logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets, means for storing any of said separated packets that were received out of sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by the logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets, and means for transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by the logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets.

Claim 23

An arrangement for the transmission of information via a plurality of logical channels from a source having multiple physical links extended therefrom, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel and means for assigning said plurality of packets for transmission over said links in such manner that ones of the packets defining the same logical channel are transmittable over different ones of said links.

Claim 24

An arrangement for the transmission of information via a plurality of logical channels from a source having multiple physical links extended therefrom, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel and means for assigning said plurality of packets for transmission over said links in such manner that ones of the packets defining the same logical channel are transmittable over different ones of said links.

Claim 25

An arrangement for processing packetized information received in a plurality of logical channels on multiple physical links, said arrangement comprising means for separating packets received from said links according to logical channels defined within said received packets, and means for ordering said separated packets in a defined sequence according to logical channel sequence numbers defined within said separated packets.

Claim 26

An arrangement for processing packetized information received in a plurality of logical channels on multiple physical links, said arrangement comprising means for separating packets received from said links according to logical channels defined within said received packets, and means for ordering said separated packets in a defined sequence according to logical channel sequence numbers defined within said separated packets.

Claim 27

An arrangement in accordance with claim 18 further comprising means responsive to the ordering of said separated packets for transmitting the ordered packets of each logical channel to a destination.

Claim 28

An arrangement in accordance with claim 19 further comprising means for transmitting to said destination, each of said separated packets received in sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets, means for storing any of said separated packets received out of sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets and means for transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in sequence on a per logical channel basis as defined by the logical channel sequence numbers included in those packets.

Claim 29

A switching arrangement comprising first switching means comprising first means for establishing switched-connections between a first plurality of ports and between said first plurality of ports and at least one outlet connected to an inter-module connection arrangement, and first control means for controlling said first establishing means, second switching means comprising second means for establishing switched-connections between a second plurality of ports and between said second plurality of ports and at least one outlet connected to said intermodule connection arrangement, and second control means for controlling said second establishing means, and a plurality of physical links interconnecting said first and second control means wherein said first switching means further comprises means for packetizing information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of a plurality of logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets defining the same logical channel being transmittable over different ones of said links, and wherein said second switching means further comprises means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, and means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein, and wherein said second control means is responsive to packets received in at least one of said logical channels for controlling said second establishing means.

Claim 30

A switching arrangement comprising first switching means comprising first means for establishing switched-connections between a first plurality of ports and between said first plurality of ports and at least one outlet connected to an inter-module connection arrangement, and first control means for controlling said first establishing means, second switching means comprising second means for establishing switched-connections between a second plurality of ports and between said second plurality of ports and at least one outlet connected to said intermodule connection arrangement, and second control means for controlling said second establishing means, and a plurality of physical links interconnecting said first and second control means wherein said first switching means further comprises means for packetizing information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of a plurality of logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets defining the same logical channel being transmittable over different ones of said links, and wherein said second switching means further comprises means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, and means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein, and wherein said second control means is responsive to packets received in at least one of said logical channels for controlling said second establishing means.

Claim 31

A switching arrangement in accordance with claim 21 wherein said second switching means further comprises means for packetizing information into a second plurality of packets each including a definition of a second plurality of logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, means for transmitting said second plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets defining the same logical channel being transmittable over different ones of said links, and wherein said first switching means further comprises means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, and means for separating said packets received by said receiving means of said first switching means according to the logical channels defined therein, and wherein said first control means is responsive to packets received in at least one of said second plurality of logical channels for controlling said first establishing means.

Claim 32

A program-controlled digital switching system having a plurality of remote switching modules and having an inter-processor packetized communication arrangement for communication among said remote switching modules used for conveying information via a plurality of logical channels from one remote switching module to another remote switching module having multiple physical data links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising in said one remote switching module, means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, and said arrangement comprising in said another remote switching module, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the logical channel sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 33

A program-controlled digital switching system having a plurality of remote switching modules and having an inter-processor packetized communication arrangement for communication among said remote switching modules used for conveying information via a plurality of logical channels from one remote switching module to another remote switching module having multiple physical data links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising in said one remote switching module, means for packetizing said information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of one of said logical channels and a definition of a logical channel sequence number with respect to the defined logical channel, and said arrangement comprising in said another remote switching module, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the logical channels defined therein and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the logical channel sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 38

A method in accordance with claim 25 wherein said communicating step comprises transmitting to said destination, each of said separated packets received in said defined ordered sequence, storing any of said separated packets received out of said defined ordered sequence, and transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in said defined ordered sequence.

Claim 43

A method in accordance with claim 28 further comprising transmitting to a destination, each of said separated packets received in said defined sequence, storing any of said separated packets received out of said defined sequence, and transmitting to said destination, previously stored packets which are now transmittable in said defined sequence.

Claim 44

An arrangement for conveying units of information from a source to a destination having multiple physical links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said units of information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of a unit identification and a definition of a packet sequence number with respect to the defined unit identification, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets included in the same unit of information being transmittable over different ones of said links, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the unit identifications defined therein, and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the packet sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 45

An arrangement for conveying units of information from a source to a destination having multiple physical links interposed therebetween, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said units of information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of a unit identification and a definition of a packet sequence number with respect to the defined unit identification, means for transmitting said plurality of packets over said links with ones of the packets included in the same unit of information being transmittable over different ones of said links, means for receiving a plurality of packets on said links, means for separating said received packets according to the unit identifications defined therein, and means cooperating with said separating means for ordering the separated packets according to the packet sequence numbers defined therein.

Claim 46

An arrangement for the transmission of units of information from a source having multiple physical links extended therefrom, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said units of information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of a unit identification and a definition of a packet sequence number with respect to the defined unit identification and means for assigning said plurality of packets for transmission over said links in such manner that ones of the packets included in the same unit of information are transmittable over different ones of said links.

Claim 47

An arrangement for the transmission of units of information from a source having multiple physical links extended therefrom, said arrangement comprising means for packetizing said units of information into a plurality of packets each including therein a definition of a unit identification and a definition of a packet sequence number with respect to the defined unit identification and means for assigning said plurality of packets for transmission over said links in such manner that ones of the packets included in the same unit of information are transmittable over different ones of said links.

Claim 48

An arrangement for processing packetized information received on multiple physical links, said arrangement comprising means for separating packets received from said links according to unit identifications defined within said received packets, and means for ordering said separated packets in a defined sequence according to packet sequence numbers defined within said separated packets.

Claim 49

An arrangement for processing packetized information received on multiple physical links, said arrangement comprising means for separating packets received from said links according to unit identifications defined within said received packets, and means for ordering said separated packets in a defined sequence according to packet sequence numbers defined within said separated packets.