US 5,844,903 A · Multi-port bridge

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multi-port bridge where problems in conventional virtual bridging are solved, and especially a multi-port bridge which can be managed with a program that manages only two-port bridges. The multi-port bridge comprises, in terms of hardware, one adapter such a TRN adapter 70 connected to one port 50, other adapters such as other ISDN adapters 71 to 77 connected to a plurality of other ports 51 to 57, and processor 86 for providing virtual bridges and a virtual Token-Ring between one adapter and other adapters. Processor 86 provides by means of a program a virtual bridge module 120 having a bridging function to TRN adapter 70 connected to one port 50, and virtual bridge modules 121 to 127 having a bridging function to other ISDN adapters 71 to 77 connected to ports 51 to 57, respectively. Further, processor 86 provides by means of the program virtual Token-Ring module 128 for coupling these virtual bridge modules 121 to 127.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A multi-port bridge including:

a plurality of virtual bridge modules, each bridge module emulating a bridge protocol to receive frames on a first port and to route the frames to a second port;
a virtual Token-Ring module having a virtual serial transmission path interconnecting the second port of each one of the plurality of virtual bridge modules, said virtual Token-Ring module emulating a Token-Ring module protocol to transport the frames on the virtual serial transmission path to the plurality of virtual bridge modules;
and
a plurality of network hardware adapters, with each one of the plurality of network hardware adapters for connecting a different one of the first port to a different one of a plurality of network nodes.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-port bridge

Life of this patent

Multi-port bridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18