Matrix switch for a network management system
AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorsMichael D. Mancusi, Joseph E. Massery, Roger F. Osmond, Michael J. Fitzgerald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wiring hub for interconnecting a plurality of network components to form a local area network, the wiring hub including a data signal bus and a programmable switching mechanism connected to the data signal bus. The switching mechanism includes a plurality of ports each of which can be electrically coupled to a different one of the plurality of network components so as to pass communications signals to and receive communications signals from the network component to which it is coupled. The programmable switching mechanism interconnects a selectable set of the plurality of ports together through the data signal bus and in any user selectable ordered sequence.
Claims16
A wiring hub for interconnecting a plurality of network components to form a local area network, each of said plurality of network components capable of sending and/or receiving digital communications signals, said wiring hub comprising:
- a data signal bus;
- and
- a programmably controlled switching mechanism connected to said data signal bus, said switching mechanism including a plurality of ports, wherein when said plurality of network components is connected to said switching mechanism each of said plurality of ports is electrically coupled to a different one of the plurality of network components so as to pass digital communications signals to and receive digital communications signals from the network component to which it is coupled, said programmably controlled switching mechanism interconnecting a programmably selectable set of said plurality of ports together through said data signal bus and in any programmably selectable ordered sequence to form a ring network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.