Switch configurable for a plurality of communication protocols
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorHahn Vo Norden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In at least some embodiments of the invention, a system may comprise a plurality of electronic devices adapted to send and receive data, wherein each electronic device uses any one of a plurality of communication protocols. The system may also comprise a switch comprising a plurality of ports, each port is adapted to couple to an electronic device, wherein each port is configurable for use according to the protocol used by the electronic device coupled thereto.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of electronic devices adapted to send and receive data, wherein each electronic device uses any one of a plurality of communication protocols;
- and
- a switch comprising a plurality of ports, each port is adapted to couple to an electronic device, wherein each port is configurable for use according to the protocol used by the electronic device coupled thereto,
- wherein each port comprises a plurality of protocol converters, each protocol converter being associated with a separate data path, and
- wherein the switch comprises logic that selects a protocol converter and a data path for each port.
A switch adapted to couple to a plurality of devices that each implement any one of a plurality of communication protocols, the switch comprising:
- a plurality of ports, wherein each port is adaptable to couple to one of the devices and to receive data from and transmit data to said device and programmable to implement the communication protocol implemented by said device;
- and
- a crossbar coupled to the ports, wherein the crossbar is operable to direct data flow between the ports according to destination information provided with data received by the switch,
- wherein each port comprises a plurality of protocol converters that convert data from the communication protocols of the devices to a protocol used by the crossbar and vice versa,
- wherein each port comprises logic coupled to the protocol converters and the crossbar, wherein the logic selects a protocol converter and an associated data path to use according to configuration data.
A method, comprising:
- receiving data according to any one of a plurality of predetermined protocols;
- converting the data from the protocol of the received data to a crossbar protocol;
- converting the data from the crossbar protocol to a selected one of the plurality of predetermined protocols;
- and
- outputting the data according to the selected protocol
- wherein receiving data according to any one of a plurality of predetermined protocols comprises selecting one of a plurality of data paths, wherein each data path is associated with one of the predetermined protocols and wherein said selecting is user controlled.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of electronic devices adapted to send and receive data, each device using any one of a plurality of communication protocols;
- a switch comprising a plurality of ports, each port adapted to couple to one of the plurality of electronic devices, the switch comprises also a crossbar coupled to the ports, wherein each port comprises:
- means for receiving data according to any of the plurality of communication protocols;
- means for converting the communication protocol of the received data to a crossbar protocol;
- means for converting data from the crossbar protocol to any of the plurality of communication protocols;
- and
- means for selecting one of a plurality of protocol converters and data paths for use with the electronic device coupled thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.