Abstract: Virtual concatenation circuitry is disclosed which provides stall need detection and an associated stall mechanism in a network element of a data communication network. The virtual concatenation circuitry in a preferred embodiment is operative to provide differential delay compensation for one or more member streams of a virtual concatenation stream. The differential delay compensation involves introducing delay into at least one of the member streams. The stall need detection aspect of the invention relates to detecting a condition under which introduction of the delay is required for alignment of member streams, for example, upon addition of a member stream to the virtual concatenation stream. Such a condition may arise, for example, if a transmission delay of an added stream is larger than that of all other member streams of the virtual concatenation stream.

Abstract: An automotive electronic component (10), including a base component (12), a face plate (14) detachable from the base component (12), a cantilever element (16) positioned on either the base component (12) or the face plate (14), and a rib element (18) positioned on the other of the base component (12) or the face plate (14). During removal of the face plate (14) from the base component (12), the rib element (18) engages the cantilever element (16) and prevents complete disengagement of the face plate (14) from the base component (12) until an additional force is applied to the face plate (14).