US5748633A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for the concurrent reception and transmission of packets in a communications internetworking device
Assignee: HP Inc
•
Filing: 1995-07-12
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Granted: 1998-05-05
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Expires: 2015-07-12
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for increasing the throughput of a communications internetworking device using concurrent reception and transmission of data packets. The method involves the beginning of a retransmission by the communications internetworking device, to a destination network, of a frame undergoing reception by the communications internetworking device, from a source network, prior to the completion the reception of the frame from the source network by the communications internetworking device.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher P. Lawler
- 👤 David C. Ready
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/90; H04L49/9084; H04L49/9089; G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/10; G06F13/12; G06F13/124; G06F13/128; H04L49/9042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
218 words
An internetworking device comprising: a first MAC port operative in accordance with a first network protocol; a second MAC port comprising one of a plurality of MAC ports within said internetworking device, said second MAC port being operative in accordance with a second network protocol; a memory, in electrical communication with said first MAC port and said second MAC port; and a frame processor, in electrical communication with said memory, said first MAC port, and said second MAC port, said first MAC port being operative to receive a packet including a header and data in said first protocol and to store said packet in said memory, said frame processor being operative to select said second MAC port from said plurality of MAC ports and to commence transmission of said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said packet in said memory and prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said first and second network protocols are the same; and said frame processor being operative to commence transmission of a representation of said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said second network protocol differs from said first network protocol.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
218 words
An internetworking device comprising: a first MAC port operative in accordance with a first network protocol; a second MAC port comprising one of a plurality of MAC ports within said internetworking device, said second MAC port being operative in accordance with a second network protocol; a memory, in electrical communication with said first MAC port and said second MAC port; and a frame processor, in electrical communication with said memory, said first MAC port, and said second MAC port, said first MAC port being operative to receive a packet including a header and data in said first protocol and to store said packet in said memory, said frame processor being operative to select said second MAC port from said plurality of MAC ports and to commence transmission of said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said packet in said memory and prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said first and second network protocols are the same; and said frame processor being operative to commence transmission of a representation of said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said second network protocol differs from said first network protocol.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The internetworking device of claim 1 wherein said first MAC port and said second MAC port each has a plurality of setable parameters and a state of said internetworking device is determined in part by said plurality of said parameters of said first MAC port and said second MAC port.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The internetworking device of claim 1 wherein said first MAC port and said second MAC port are Ethernet ports.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The internetworking device of claim 1 wherein said first MAC port, said second MAC port, said frame processor, and said memory are connected by a bus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The internetworking device recited in claim 1 further comprising a code vector generator, in electrical communication with said memory, said first MAC port and said second MAC port, wherein said frame processor begins to retransmit said data packet in response to a cut-through code vector generated by said code vector generator.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of transmitting a packet from a first MAC port to a second MAC port comprising one of a plurality of MAC ports in an internetworking device wherein said first MAC port is operative in accordance with a first network protocol and said second MAC port is operative in accordance with a second network protocol, said method comprising the steps of: receiving and storing at least a portion of said packet in a memory within said internetworking device; analyzing said at least a portion of said packet to select said second MAC port from said plurality of MAC ports as a destination port for said packet and determining whether said second protocol is the same as said first protocol; beginning to retransmit said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said packet in said memory and prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said first and second protocols are the same; and beginning to retransmit a representation of said packet to said second MAC port after reception of said packet in said memory if said second network protocol differs from said first network protocol.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
200 words
A method of transmitting a packet from a first MAC port to a second MAC port comprising one of a plurality of MAC ports in an internetworking device wherein said first MAC port is operative in accordance with a first network protocol and said second MAC port is operative in accordance with a second network protocol, said method comprising the steps of: receiving and storing at least a portion of said packet in a memory within said internetworking device; analyzing said at least a portion of said packet to select said second MAC port from said plurality of MAC ports as a destination port for said packet and determining whether said second protocol is the same as said first protocol; beginning to retransmit said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said packet in said memory and prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said first and second protocols are the same; and beginning to retransmit a representation of said packet to said second MAC port after reception of said packet in said memory if said second network protocol differs from said first network protocol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said first MAC port and said second MAC port each has a plurality of setable parameters and a state of said internetworking device is determined in part by said plurality of said parameters of said first MAC port and said second MAC port.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
305 words
An internetworking device comprising: a first MAC port having a plurality of setable parameters; a second MAC port having a plurality of setable parameters; a data memory, having an SRAM portion and a DRAM portion, said data memory in electrical communication with said first MAC port and said second MAC port; an address memory unit having an address memory, said address unit in electrical communication with said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said data memory; a code vector generator, in electrical communication with said data memory, said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said address memory unit; and a frame processor, in electrical communication with said data memory, said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said code vector generator, said first MAC port receiving a packet including a header having a source address and a destination address and data, said first MAC port storing said packet in said SRAM portion of said data memory, said first MAC port storing said packet in said DRAM portion of said data memory once said SRAM portion of said data memory has been filled with said packet, said frame processor beginning to retransmit said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said data of said packet and prior to the completed reception of said packet by said first MAC port in response to a cut-through code vector generated by said code vector generator, said code vector generator generating said cut-through code vector in response to said data being stored in said DRAM, in response to the result of said address memory unit searching said address memory for said source and destination address of said packet and in response to said plurality of parameters of said first MAC port and said second MAC port.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
305 words
An internetworking device comprising: a first MAC port having a plurality of setable parameters; a second MAC port having a plurality of setable parameters; a data memory, having an SRAM portion and a DRAM portion, said data memory in electrical communication with said first MAC port and said second MAC port; an address memory unit having an address memory, said address unit in electrical communication with said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said data memory; a code vector generator, in electrical communication with said data memory, said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said address memory unit; and a frame processor, in electrical communication with said data memory, said first MAC port, said second MAC port and said code vector generator, said first MAC port receiving a packet including a header having a source address and a destination address and data, said first MAC port storing said packet in said SRAM portion of said data memory, said first MAC port storing said packet in said DRAM portion of said data memory once said SRAM portion of said data memory has been filled with said packet, said frame processor beginning to retransmit said packet from said memory to said second MAC port after reception of a predetermined portion of said data of said packet and prior to the completed reception of said packet by said first MAC port in response to a cut-through code vector generated by said code vector generator, said code vector generator generating said cut-through code vector in response to said data being stored in said DRAM, in response to the result of said address memory unit searching said address memory for said source and destination address of said packet and in response to said plurality of parameters of said first MAC port and said second MAC port.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The internetworking device recited in claim 8 wherein said predetermined portion of said data of said packet fills said SRAM portion of said data memory.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
219 words
A method for transmitting a packet received at a first MAC port of a network device in which said first MAC port is operative in accordance with a first network protocol, to a selected one of a plurality of MAC ports of said network device, wherein said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with a second network protocol, said method comprising the steps of: commencing reception of said packet in a memory within said network device; selecting one of said plurality of MAC ports as a destination port for said packet; determining whether said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with said first network protocol; initiating transmission of said packet from said memory to said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with said first network protocol; and initiating transmission of a representation of said packet from said memory to said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports following the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is not operative in accordance with said first network protocol.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
219 words
A method for transmitting a packet received at a first MAC port of a network device in which said first MAC port is operative in accordance with a first network protocol, to a selected one of a plurality of MAC ports of said network device, wherein said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with a second network protocol, said method comprising the steps of: commencing reception of said packet in a memory within said network device; selecting one of said plurality of MAC ports as a destination port for said packet; determining whether said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with said first network protocol; initiating transmission of said packet from said memory to said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports prior to the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is operative in accordance with said first network protocol; and initiating transmission of a representation of said packet from said memory to said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports following the completion of reception of said packet in said memory if said selected one of said plurality of MAC ports is not operative in accordance with said first network protocol.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-04 | 2001-11-03 | 2002-05-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-04 | 2005-11-03 | 2006-05-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-04 | 2009-11-03 | 2010-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |