Network apparatus

A network apparatus that interconnects two or more (=N) basic elements each having the capability to function as one computer, comprising:

• N switch device groups each having N switch devices, each of said N switch device groups being electrically configured such that one of said N switch devices is connected to one of said basic elements without selecting the same basic element twice and first to Nth switch devices are connected in series in the order that a first switch device is connected directly to a basic element, a second switch device is connected to said first switch device, a third switch device is connected to said second switch device and so on up to a final Nth switch device, said Nth switch device being connected to a (N-1)th switch device, and
• N loop lines, each being configured by connecting one switch device in each of N switch device groups in a loop without selecting the same device twice,
• wherein each of the switch devices that constitute each switch device group comprises:
• a first port exclusively for receiving data attached with destination information received from an adjacent switch device in the same switch device group;
• a second port exclusively for receiving data attached with destination information received from a basic element only when said switch device is directly connected to that basic element;
• a third port and a fifth port for both input and output connected to said loop line;
• a first and second decoder for judging whether data attached with destination information received from said third port or fifth port, respectively, are communication addressed to a basic element connected to the switch device group concerned or communication addressed to a basic element connected to another switch device group;
• a switch unit for, in a case in which it is judged by said first or second decoders that data attached with destination information are addressed to said basic element connected to the switch device group concerned, selecting either that data addressed to the basic element concerned or data attached with destination information that have been received from said first port;
• first and second repeaters for, in a case in which it is judged by said first and second decoders, respectively, that data attached with destination information are not addressed to said basic element connected to the switch device group concerned, repeating that data attached with destination information;
• first and second selectors for selecting one of:
• data attached with destination information that have been received from said first and second repeaters and data attached with destination information that are received from said second port, to send the selected data to said fifth port or third port, respectively;
• and
• a fourth port exclusively for delivering data attached with destination information selected by said switch unit to a switch device adjacent in the direction of the basic element in the switch device group concerned or to the basic element.

A network apparatus that interconnects two or more pairs (=N pairs) of basic elements, each basic element having the capability to function as one computer, comprising:

• N switch device groups each having N switch devices, each of said N switch device groups being electrically configured such that:
• one of said N switch devices is connected to one pair of said basic elements without selecting the same basic element twice;
• and first to Nth switch devices are connected in series in the order that a first switch device is connected directly to a basic element, a second switch device is connected to said first switch device, a third switch device is connected to said second switch device and so on up to a final Nth switch device, said Nth switch device being connected to a (N-1)th switch device, and
• N loop transmission paths, each being configured by connecting one switch device in each of N switch device groups in a loop without selecting the same device twice,
• wherein each of said N loop transmission paths is composed of two loop lines, whereby the two basic elements connected to the same switch device group communicate with basic elements connected to other switch device groups through different loop lines of the same loop transmission path.

A network of N basic elements that each has the capability to function as one computer (N≧2), the network comprising:

• N switch groups that each has N switches that are connected in series;
• N loop lines that are connected to each of said N switch groups, each of said N loop lines being connected to a different one of said N switches in each of said N switch groups;
• wherein each of the N basic elements is connected to a different one of said N switch groups and is directly connected to only one of said N switches therein, and
• wherein each of said N loop lines is directly connected to only one of said N switches that is directly connected to one of the N basic elements.