Abstract: An Ethernet switch and a method of switch for selectively transporting or filtering network packets. Said Ethernet switch comprises plural network ports, a first and a second memory device, a first and a second memory control device, a switch device, and a memory management device. Network ports are for receiving or delivering network packets. The first memory device saves the source address and associated messages of the network packets. The second memory device saves the network packets received from the network port. The first and the second memory control devices control the read and write of the first and the second memory devices. Further, the switch device creates a source address and the associated messages of the network port for each network packet, and a destination address and the associated messages of the network port for each network packet in accordance with the contents of the first memory device.

Abstract: An Ethernet switch having a share memory structure in which the share memory reads/writes packet data and records network routing data when switching packet data among network ports. Furthermore, a buffer manager in coordination with a buffer table is provided to manage the memory by a sharing memory method. The Ethernet switch includes a memory device, a memory controller, a data switching controller and more than two network ports. Furthermore, the memory device provides network packets accesses and routing data storage. The memory controller is coupled to the memory device for managing/controlling network packets in the memory device. The data switching controller is coupled to the memory device for selecting/learning packet routings. Each network port is coupled to the memory controller and data switching controller.

Abstract: An expandable repeater includes N repeater units connected to an integrator device and a bus. Each of the N repeater units has an input/output connected to the bus for exchanging clock, data, and to receive network status signals. Each repeater unit also provides status signals to the integrator device. The status signals indicate the data repetition status of that repeater unit to the integrator. The integrator receives N (where N is the number of repeater units to be combined by the integrator) sets of status signals from the repeater units, supplies network status information to the bus, and exchanges clock information and data with the bus. The integrator selectively executes the data and clock repetition, and provides a global network status signal in response to the status signals received from all of the repeater units connected to the integrator. A number of integrators may be combined in a similar fashion to further expand the repeater.

Abstract: An expandable repeater includes N repeater units connected to an integrator device and a bus. Each of the N repeater units has an input/output connected to the bus for exchanging clock, data, and to receive network status signals. Each repeater unit also provides status signals to the integrator device. The status signals indicate the data repetition status of that repeater unit to the integrator. The integrator receives N from the reporter unit (where N is the number of repeater units to be combined by the integrator) sets of status signals, supplies network status information to the bus, and exchanges clock information and data from the bus. The integrator selectively executes the data and clock repetition, and provides a global network status signal in response to the status signals received from all of the repeater units connected to the integrator. A number of integrators may be combined in a similar fashion to further expand the repeater.

Abstract: A repeater includes two or more repeater units. Each repeater unit transmits signals to and receives signals from a bus; each repeater unit is also connected to a distributed network status indicator (DNSI). The DNSI responds to status signals from the connected repeater unit and other DNSIs to generate global network status signals. These global network status signals are transmitted to other DNSIs and in turn are transmitted to other repeater units. These global network status signals coordinate the repeater units to function as a single repeater according to the IEEE 802.3 Standard.

Abstract: An expandable repeater includes N repeater units connected to an integrator device in a star topology. Each of the N repeater units has an input/output ("I/O") port for exchanging clock, data, and status signals. The status signals indicate the data repetition status of the repeater unit to the integrator. The integrator has N I/O interfaces (where N is the number of repeater units to be combined by the integrator), each of which couples to a corresponding I/O port of a repeater unit. The integrator selectively executes the data and clock repetition, and provides a global network status signal in response to the status signals received from all of the repeater units connected to the integrator.