Abstract: A high-speed Fibre Channel switch element in a Fibre Channel network is provided. The Fibre Channel switch element includes, a rate select module that allows a port in the Fibre Channel switch element to operate at a rate equal to and/or higher than 10 gigabits per second (“G”). The port may operate at 20G, 40G or at a rate greater than 40G. Also, a cut status is provided for cut-through routing between ports operating at different speed. Plural transmit and receive lines are used for port operation at a rate equal to or higher than 10G.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element with an integrated fabric controller on a single chip is provided. The fabric controller including a processor module that can control various switch element functions; a serlizer/de-serializer for converting parallel data to serial data for transmission; an on-chip peripheral bus that allows communication between plural components and the processor module; a processor local bus and an interrupt controller that provides interrupts to the processor module. The integrated fabric controller also includes a flash controller and an external memory controller; an Ethernet controller; a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (“UART”) module that performs serial to parallel conversion and vice-versa; an I2C module that performs serial to parallel and parallel to serial conversion; a general-purpose input/output interface; a real time clock module; an interrupt controller that can receive interrupts inputs from both internal and external sources; and a bridge to an internal PCI bus.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for performing a device component failure analysis in an implantable medical device using current consumption data. A current consumption signal relating to current consumption in an implantable medical device is generated. The current consumption signal is then processed. A defect of a component in the implantable medical device is assessed in response to the processing of the current consumption signal and appropriate action is taken, such as selecting alternate therapies, generating an alert signal, and turning off circuits corresponding to the assessed defect.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element with an alias cache is provided for routing and filtering frames. The alias cache includes plural entries including a control word having plural fields including an action code for routing frames; an alias word that is compared to incoming frame data using a frame byte compare block; and a bit mask generator for filtering bit combinations from the frame byte compare block; and a depth match block for determining equality between a control word depth field and incoming frame depth field. Frame data comparison is performed on a bit by bit or byte-by-byte basis. An alias cache entry also includes prerequisite data to determine if results of a different entry are to be used to determine an entry match. The action code routes a frame to a processor, discards a frame, sets a status for inspecting a frame or routes a frame based on a standard Fibre Channel addressing scheme.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting congestion and over-subscription in a fibre channel switch element is provided. A counter is updated if a frame cannot be transmitted due to lack of credit; then the counter value is compared to a threshold value; and an event is triggered if the counter value varies from the threshold value. Also, provided is a first register that maintains information regarding a rate at which a source port can transfer data; a counter that counts entries corresponding to a number of frames to be transmitted at a given time; and a second register that determines an over-subscription rate.

Abstract: A method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a hashing module whose output is used to select the column from a look up table to route frames. The method includes, indexing a look up table using domain, area, virtual storage area network identifier, a hashing module output and/or AL_PA values; selecting a column from the look up table based on a column select signal; and routing a frame if a route is valid. The hashing module takes a fibre channel header to generate a pseudo random value used for selecting a column from the look up table. The hashing module uses same field values in an exchange to generate the pseudo random value. A hash function is used on a frame's OX_ID, D_ID, S_ID, and/or RX_ID to route fibre channel frames.

Abstract: Method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, inserting a time stamp value in a fibre channel frame that is received at a receive segment of the fibre channel switch element; determining if a timeout occurs after a frame arrives at a receive buffer; and processing the frame if the timeout occurred. The method also includes, determining if a delta time value, which provides an accumulated wait time for a frame, is present in frame data; subtracting the delta time stamp value from a global time stamp value and using the resulting time stamp value to determine frame timeout status in the fibre channel switch element. A timeout checker circuit declares a timeout after comparing a time stamp value that is inserted in a fibre channel frame with a programmed time out value and a global counter value.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element for routing fibre channel frame is provided. The switch element includes a fibre channel port that can be configured to support plural data transfer rates. The data transfer rate may be 1 G, 2 G, 4 G, 8 G or 10 G. The switch element includes a clock configuration module for providing a clock signal that is based on the data transfer rate. A receive segment of the fibre channel port sends a signal to a transmit segment to avoid an under flow condition. The receive segment also waits for a certain frame length after a fibre channel frame is written and before the fibre channel frame is read, depending upon a data transfer rate of a source port. Multiple lanes may be configured as a single 10 G multi lane port or as multiple individual ports.

Abstract: A method and system for keeping an arbitrated loop open during a frame gap using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes a port control module having a receive and transmit segment, wherein the transmit segment activates a timer whose value determines a duration during which the arbitrated loop remains open; determines if a last frame from a sequence of frames from a source port has been transmitted; modifies the timer value if a higher priority frame for transmission is unavailable; and keeps the arbitrated loop open until the timer reaches a certain value. If a higher priority frame is available for transmission before the timer value is modified then the higher priority frame is transmitted and the timer value is re-initialized.

Abstract: A method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes logic for comparing a credit counter value with a first threshold value to enable a credit limiting feature; and a first counter that receives a signal after a frame has departed from a transmit segment and maintains a maximum value for a certain duration that is based on the first threshold value. The method includes enabling a credit limiting feature, wherein frame transmission from a certain source is delayed when the credit limiting feature is enabled. The first counter is incremented every time a frame departs and holds its maximum value based on the threshold value. When the first counter is at the maximum value, a credit-limiting signal is used to enable the credit limiting feature by setting a control bit in a control register.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing bandwidth allocation in a fibre channel network having a fibre channel switch element, is provided. The switch element includes, a port control module having a receive and transmit segment, wherein the transmit segment is programmed to block frame transmission from a particular frame source port for a certain duration based on a programmable threshold value. The method includes, enabling a bandwidth limitation counter; and programming the threshold value for blocking frame transmission from a frame source port for a certain duration and during this duration, other source ports may be chosen for frame transmission. After a frame is transmitted from a source port, a tag valid blocking from the same source port is used to block frame transmission. A quality of service register is used to store the threshold value and the threshold value is programmable.

Abstract: A method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a look up table that is indexed by domain, area, a virtual storage area number and/or AL_PA values of frames entering the fibre channel switch element; and logic for generating a column select signal that is used to select a column from the look up table for frame routing information. The switch element also includes logic for validating a frame route by performing word depth match. A register is used to load look up table entries and column entries are selected based on the column select signal. The method includes, indexing a look up table with plural fibre channel frame header values; selecting a table value for routing a fibre channel frame based on a column select signal; and routing the frame if a route is valid.

Abstract: A method for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a receiving segment in a fibre channel port for receiving the frames and a transmit segment that transmits the received frames. The method includes requesting an early frame transfer, wherein the transmit segment of a fibre channel port requests an early frame transfer from a receiving segment of the fibre channel port before a frame has arrived at the transmit segment; activating an early frame transfer; determining if there is a need for aborting the early frame transfer request; and selecting a different source port if there is a need for aborting an early frame transfer request.

Abstract: A method and system for routing fibre channel frames using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a port with a buffer having more than one memory slot for receiving fibre channel frames, wherein the port tracks a relative age of a first memory slot with respect to at least another memory slot; and frames are transmitted from a memory slot based on the relative age. The method includes, determining a relative age of a first memory slot with respect to at least another memory slot; and transmitting a frame from a memory slot based on the relative age. The method also includes, sending frames that have resided in a memory slot for a greater period compared to frames residing in at least another memory slot; and setting age bits in plural memory slots when frames are written and the relative age is determined based on the age bits. An aging table may be used to store the age bits of the plural memory slots.

Abstract: A method for assigning virtual lanes (VL) in a fibre channel switch is provided. The fibre channel switch element includes a virtual lane cache that can compare incoming frame parameters based on which virtual lanes may be assigned; and a register to store parameters used for virtual lane assignment. The method includes, determining if VL assignment is to be based on an incoming frame parameter or a programmed value; determining if an incoming frame is a preferred frame; and assigning a preferred routing priority if the incoming frame is designated as a preferred frame. The method also includes, determining if a fabric topology is known; and assigning virtual lanes based on a known fabric topology.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling power consumption in a fibre channel switch element having a plurality of ports and plural links to communicate over a network is provided. The switch element includes, a power control module that is used to provide power to only active ports after firmware of fibre channel switch element determines the active ports. The method includes, determining active ports of the fibre channel switch element, after all the ports are shut down in a known state; and providing power to only the active ports. All ports are powered up during fibre channel switch element reset and then powered down (except a common port) so that the ports are shut down in a known state.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element and method for routing fibre channel frames is provided. The switch element includes a receive segment that can add a virtual storage area network (“VSAN”) tagging header to frames that are received by the receive segment; and strip the VSAN tagging header before frames are sent to ports that do not support virtual fabric capability. The receive segment includes a table used for matching fabric extension parameters. An incoming frame's VSAN identity value is compared to a control word entry to generate a value used for routing the incoming frame. The table is used to determine if a frame is part of a virtual fabric. The routing table for each port is used to route frames and the routing table includes entries for supported virtual fabrics.

Abstract: A method and switch element for assigning priority to pseudo virtual lanes (“PVL”) using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, assigning received R_RDYs based on a PVL distribution scheme; and determining traffic congestion on a PVL if there is no credit available to transfer frames from the PVL. A minimum bandwidth feature is enabled to avoid lower priority PVLs from getting no credit for transmitting frames; and distributing credit and R_RDYs based on frame age bits, wherein a lower priority PVL gets credit if a frame is waiting in the PVL for a longer duration compared to a higher priority PVL. The switch element includes, a PVL module having credit counters for plural PVLs; and a timer that monitors frame traffic for each PVL lane. If a PVL gets congested, then a state machine adjusts priority of R_RDY distribution scheme of other PVLs to transmit frames.

Abstract: A method and system for distributing credit using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes, a wait threshold counter that is used to set up a status for a port that has to wait for certain duration to send a frame due to lack of buffer to buffer credit; a credit module that controls buffer to buffer credit for a transmit segment of the fibre channel switch element; and a virtual lane credit module with a counter that is incremented every time a frame assigned to a virtual lane is sent and decreased every time a VC_RDY is received. The method includes, determining if a VC_RDY primitive is received; and allocating credit to a virtual lane that is not at its maximum credit, after the VC_RDY primitive is received.

Abstract: A method and system for routing frames based on a port's speed using a fibre channel switch element is provided. The method includes, receiving a portion of a frame in a receive buffer of a port; determining a frame length threshold; and setting up a status bit based on the port's speed, the frame length threshold and an amount of frame received. The status bit is sent to a transmit segment of the fibre channel switch element and the frame length threshold value is inversely proportional to the port's speed. Also, if the receive buffer is almost full when a frame arrives at the receive port, then a cut status is based on a frames end of frame (“EOF”) value.