Dynamic Path Selection

Abstract

A switch/router dynamically selects a path from multiple available paths between a source destination pair for a frame. A hash function generates a hash value from frame parameters such as source ID, destination ID, exchange ID, etc. The hash value is given as an input to a plurality of range comparators where each range comparator has a range of values associated with it. If the hash value falls within a range associated with a range comparator, that range comparator generates an in-range signal. A path selector module detects which range comparator has generated the in-range signal, and determines a path associated with that range comparator from previously stored information. The frame is transmitted via the selected path. The ranges associated with each range comparator can be non-overlapping and unequal in size. The number of range comparators can be equal to a number of selected multiple paths.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.