Topology independent broadcast of cells in an ATM network or the like

A network implementing Asynchronous Transfer Mode comprising:

• (a) a fast station on said network for formatting and transmitting a cell, said cell comprising:
• i) a first area being a header, said header having a first identifier field and a second identifier field, said fast identifier field set to a predetermined value to indicate said cell is a broadcast cell, said second identifier field set to a count value;
• ii) a second area having therein user information;
• and
• (b) a first switch for determining if said fast identifier is set to said fast predetermined value and, if said first switch is so set, for altering the count value in said second identifier field.

A method for broadcast of a packet in a computer network implementing Asynchronous Transfer Mode, where said packet having a first area comprising information about said packet and a second area comprising user information, said first area having a plurality of fields including a first field and a second field, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) a first node on said network formatting said packet for broadcast, said step of
• formatting said packet for broadcast including the steps of:
• i) populating said first field with a predetermined value, and
• ii) populating said second field with a count value,
• b) said first node transmitting said packet onto said network;
• c) said packet being received by a first switch;
• d) said first switch determining if said first field is set to said predetermined value;
• and, if said first field is set to said predetermined value,
• e) said first switch altering said count value in said second field.

A computer network implementing Asynchronous Transfer Mode providing for broadcast of a packet, where said packet having a first area comprising information about said packet and a second area comprising user information, said first area having a plurality of fields including a first field and a second field, said computer network comprising:

• a) a first node on said network for formatting a packet for broadcast by:
• i) populating said first field with a predetermined value, and
• ii) populating said second field with a count value,
• b) said first node transmitting said packet onto said network;
• c) a first switch for receiving said packet;
• d) said first switch determining if said first field is set to said predetermined value;
• and, if said first field is set to said predetermined value and,
• e) said first switch altering said count value in said second field.

A method for avoiding continuous forwarding of cells in a network implementing Asynchronous Transfer Mode comprising the steps of:

• (a) a first station on said network formatting a cell for broadcast, said step of
• formatting said cell comprising the steps of:
• i) assembling a header area comprising a first area and a second area,
• said first area being set to a predetermined value to indicate said cell is
• a broadcast cell, said second area being set to a count value;
• ii) assembling a third area having therein user information;
• (b) said first station transmitting said cell onto said network;
• (c) said cell being received by a first switch;
• (d) said first switch determining if said first area is set to said predetermined
• value;
• and, if said first switch is so set;
• (e) said first switch altering the count value in said second area.

A computer network implementing Asynchronous Transfer Mode providing for broadcast of a cell, where said cell having a first area comprising information about said cell and a second area comprising user information, said first area having a plurality of fields including a first field for storing first information and a second field for storing second information, said computer network comprising:

• a) a first node on said network for formatting a cell for broadcast by:
• i) populating said first field with a first predetermined value, said first predetermined value representing said cell is a broadcast cell;
• and
• ii) populating said second field with a second predetermined value, said second predetermined value further representing said cell is a broadcast cell;
• b) said first node transmitting said cell onto said network;
• c) a first switch for receiving said cell;
• d) said first switch determining if said first field is set to said first predetermined value and if said second field is set to said second predetermined value;
• and, if so set,
• e) said first switch further altering said second field to contain a count value.