Abstract: The subject technology relates to the management of a shared buffer memory in a network switch. Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for receiving a data packet at a first network queue from among a plurality of network queues, determining if a fill level of a queue in a shared buffer of the network switch exceeds a dynamic queue threshold, and in an event that the fill level of the shared buffer exceeds the dynamic queue threshold, determining if a fill level of the first network queue is less than a static queue minimum threshold.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprises a first reading unit configured to output an analog signal by reading an original, a second reading unit different from the first reading unit, a conversion unit configured to convert analog signals outputted from the first reading unit and the second reading unit to digital signals, a wire connection control unit configured to control wire connection between the first reading unit and the second reading unit, and the conversion unit, and an output control unit configured to control an output of an analog signal from the first reading unit.

Abstract: A time slot designing device capable of outputting a correction location and a correction reason of a constraint relating to a slot allocation result that satisfies a corrected constraint is provided. A slot designing device 10 includes an output means 11 for outputting a correction constraint being a constraint as a correction target included in a constraint group relating to a constraint satisfaction problem from which a satisfiable solution is not derived, and a correction reason being a reason why the correction constraint is corrected; and a derivation means 12 for deriving a satisfiable solution of a constraint satisfaction problem generated based on the constraint group in which the output correction constraint is corrected. The derivation means 12 outputs information indicating the correction constraint and the correction reason that are output up until the satisfiable solution is derived.

Abstract: A communication system for communication between one or more terminal units includes: a communication manager that is configured to define and manage one or more adjustable communication links for efficient bandwidth utilization, wherein the one or more communication links are adjustable by the communication manager adjusting the bandwidth of each of the one or more communication links, the frequency bands utilized by each of the one or more communication links, and the latency for each of the one or more communication links.

Abstract: A packet generation and inspection system for monitoring the performance of one or more flows on a packet network comprises a processor and memory coupled to each other and to a network bus. The memory stores instructions to be executed by the processor and data to be modified by the execution of the instructions. A processor-controlled arbiter is coupled with the processor and the network bus, and upon reception of a packet on the bus or prior to transmission of a packet on the bus for one of said flows, the arbiter requests execution by the processor of selected instructions stored in the memory by providing the processor with the address of the selected instructions in the memory. The memory provides the processor with data associated with the selected instructions, and the processor modifies the data upon execution of the selected instructions.

Abstract: A transmission device to multiplex in a first signal a plurality of second signals each having a low rate as compared with the first signal, the transmission device includes: a plurality of memories to store the plurality of second signals; a selector to select one of the second signals read from the plurality of memories; and a controller to control read timing to read the plurality of second signals from the plurality of memories and signal selection timing to select the one of the second signals by the selector so as to execute rearrangement processing of the plurality of second signals read from the plurality of memories in accordance with cross-connect setting information for the plurality of second signals and shift processing of the plurality of second signals read from the plurality of memories in accordance with multiplexing positions of the plurality of second signals for the first signal.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus for a wireless device, comprising: an antenna for receiving an original signal and for backscattering a modulated signal containing information from the wireless device; a variable impedance coupled to the antenna, the variable impedance having an impedance value; and, a decoder coupled to the variable impedance for modulating the impedance value, and thereby a backscattering coefficient for the antenna, in accordance with the information to generate the modulated signal.

Abstract: A serializer-deserializer using series-coupled signal processing blocks to process digitized input symbols, each block having a coefficient input. Each of plurality of series-coupled coefficient delay elements has a control input and a coefficient output coupling to the coefficient inputs of a corresponding one of the signal processing modules, is controlled by a shift register having an input and a plurality of outputs, each one of the plurality of outputs coupled to the control input of a corresponding one of the coefficient delay elements. An adaptation unit has a flag output coupled to the input of the shift register, and a first coefficient output coupled to the input of a first one of the coefficient delay elements. The adaptation unit generates a flag when the adaptation unit generates a coefficient, and the coefficient is entered into the first one of the coefficient delay elements when the shift register receives the flag.

Abstract: Method of accessing a medium on a transmission system having at least two channels, in which a multi-channel device groups at least two channels for the purpose of increasing the bandwidth. The method enables multi-channel devices and single-channel devices to coexist by sending out a preamble and header on each individual channel before the channels are grouped, a single-channel device that may be scanning the channel thus detecting that the message that follows is not intended for itself.

Abstract: A network switch including a port receiving a first frame. A memory includes first buffers available to store frames and second buffers reserved for the port. A pointer module stores first pointers for the first buffers. A reserve module includes a counter, requests from the pointer module some of the first pointers, and increments the counter to count a number of pointers reserved for the first port. The pointers received from the pointer module are deemed reserved and as a result the first buffers, pointed to by the pointers received from the pointer module, are included in the second buffers. An ingress module stores the first frame in some of the second buffers and determines a destination channel for the first frame. The counter is incremented for each of the second buffers used to store the first frame. An egress module transmits the frame on the destination channel.

Abstract: Time division multiplexed input signals (i.e., separated into time slots) are spread in each time slot with a destination code. This spreading is applied for destination identification as opposed to signal information modulation. Each spreading signal is associated with a particular destination for a particular time slot. These spread signals are then combined on a code division bus. Output signals for retransmission to the destinations are recovered from the bus by application of despreading codes. Each despread signal has a destination code which appears in its individual time slot. In a variant code division multiplexed signals are directed to a destination by use of time slot interchanger to achieve time division switching to route the CDMA multiplexed channels.

Abstract: A personal video recorder (PVR) system includes a processing unit, a system memory coupled to the processing unit by a system memory bus, and an insertion module being coupled to the processing unit for inserting a packet into a PVR bit stream according to packet information. During a packet insertion operation, the processing unit is for reading data from the system memory, processing the data to generate the packet insertion information, and directly transferring the packet insertion information to the insertion module. By directly transferring the packet insertion information generated by the processing unit to the insertion module, memory bandwidth requirements of the system memory are reduced, and data access of the system memory is improved.

Abstract: A communication network is operated by identifying at least one potential hijack autonomous system (AS) that can be used to generate a corrupt routing path from a source AS to a destination AS. For each of the at least one potential hijack AS the following operations are performed: identifying at least one regional AS that is configured to adopt the corrupt routing path from the source AS to the destination AS and determining a reflector AS set such that, for each reflector AS in the set, a source AS to reflector AS routing path and a reflector AS to destination AS routing path do not comprise any of the at least one regional AS. A reflector AS is then identified that is common among the at least one reflector AS set responsive to performing the identifying and determining operations for each, of the at least one potential hijack AS.

Abstract: A cellular telephone, system and method are provided which are capable of transferring a portion of or an entire telephone directory consisting of a plurality of telephone numbers to another cellular telephone via a remote central station. The remote central station receives the telephone directory and stores the same in memory for either temporary or permanent storage. The telephone directory can then be transferred from the remote central station to the same or another cellular telephone for storing the telephone directory within a memory of the cellular telephone. An individual, a company, or other entity, utilizing the remote central station, in order to store and transfer a telephone directory from a cellular telephone to the same cellular telephone or to at least another cellular telephone, pays a fee to at least one operator of the remote central station for providing and/or performing the receiving, storing and transferring services.

Abstract: Methods and mobile stations for transmitting, receiving and processing peer-to-peer communication signals without a base station or network element. A transmitting mobile station may alternate two or more long code masks to generate one or more pseudorandom noise (PN) codes to spread data for transmission. A receiving mobile station receives the spread data and achieves synchronization with the transmitting mobile station.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a plurality of switch ports, each switch port including one or more port buffers for buffering data that traverses the switch port. A switch fabric is coupled to transfer the data between the switch ports. A switch control unit is configured to reassign at least one port buffer of a given switch port to buffer a part of the data that does not enter or exit the apparatus via the given switch port, and to cause the switch fabric to forward the part of the data to a destination switch port via the at least one reassigned port buffer.

Abstract: A network switch including a first port, a forwarding module, and a queue controller. The first port is configured to receive i) a first frame of data transmitted to the network switch over a first communication channel, and ii) store the first frame of data in a memory. The forwarding module is configured to assign the first frame of data to a second port for transmission from the network switch over a second communication channel. The queue controller is configured to store a first count of a number of buffers of the memory used by the first port. The queue controller is configured to increment the first count i) based on the number of the buffers used to store at least a portion of the first frame of data, or ii) each time one of the buffers is enqueued for at least a portion of the first frame of data.

Abstract: The battery life of a mobile device operating in a wireless network environment is extended by terminating network communication activities after a specified period of time. Network communication activities may be restored when any one of a specified number of user actions are detected.

Abstract: A cellular telephone, system and method are provided which are capable of transferring a portion of or an entire telephone directory consisting of a plurality of telephone numbers to another cellular telephone via a remote central station. The remote central station receives the telephone directory and stores the same in memory for either temporary or permanent storage. The telephone directory can then be transferred from the remote central station to the same or another cellular telephone for storing the telephone directory within a memory of the cellular telephone. An individual, a company, or other entity, utilizing the remote central station, in order to store and transfer a telephone directory from a cellular telephone to the same cellular telephone or to at least another cellular telephone, pays a fee to at least one operator of the remote central station for providing and/or performing the receiving, storing and transferring services.

Abstract: A method of tailoring data streams transmitted to networked user devices is disclosed in which environment information associated with each device is stored at an agent located on those devices. This environment information may include information related to the hardware, interface and application capabilities of the particular device. In another embodiment, this environment information is transmitted and stored at an agent at a local network gateway. And in another embodiment, the environment information is then stored at a mirror agent located in a backbone network of a service provider. By referring to this environment information, a service provider can tailor the transmission of data streams, such as multimedia streams, to a device based on the capabilities of the device and the associated network.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing a payload portion of a received signal in a single carrier mode or a multiple carrier mode using a wireless channel receiver based on a portion of the received signal, where a signaling portion of the received signal is a single carrier signal. A single carrier signaling portion is received, and whether the payload portion of the signal is a single carrier signal or a multiple carrier signal is detected from the received single carrier signaling portion. The payload portion of the received signal is demodulated in a single carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a single carrier signal, and the payload portion of the received signal is demodulated in a multiple carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a multiple carrier signal. Data from the demodulated payload portion of the received signal is stored in a computer-readable memory.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable media are provided for transmitting wireless data across a coaxial cable. In one aspect, a set of computer-readable media provides a method that includes receiving a request from a mobile device for data and transmitting the data across a coaxial cable to a cable modem. The method further includes sending the data to the mobile device through a base station, wherein the base station communicates with the cable modem in order to receive the data.

Abstract: A communication device comprises a signal combiner, first storage elements, second storage elements and a controller. The signal combiner is configured to combine overhead information with additional information in forming a frame of a signal. The first storage elements are adapted to receive respective portions of a given block of the overhead information to be applied to the signal combiner, and the second storage elements are coupled between respective ones of the first storage elements and respective inputs of the signal combiner. The controller is operative to monitor a count of portions of the frame as the frame is formed by the signal combiner and to control loading of the portions of the given block of the overhead information into the second storage elements from the first storage elements responsive to the monitored count.

Abstract: An address of a terminal on a network is fixed during the session. The present invention provides an electronic apparatus that can be connected to a network, including, a communication unit communicating with another electronic apparatus existing on the network, a temporary-address setting unit setting a temporary address that is temporarily valid on the network, an address-requesting unit requesting that an address management apparatus connected to the network should set an address at a predetermined timing, when the temporary address is set, and an address-request stopping unit inhibiting the address-requesting unit from operating, while the communication unit is communicating with the other electronic apparatus, by using the temporary address.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, in which a logical path is established between a control unit and a channel over a fiber channel connection. Code for persistent information unit pacing is loaded into the control unit and the channel. An indicator is set in node descriptors of the control unit and the channel to indicate concurrent enablement of persistent pacing while retaining the established logical path between the control unit and the channel.

Abstract: A network switching device includes a plurality of ports to receive data frames over a plurality of communication channels. The plurality of ports selectively store the data frames in blocks of a shared memory. A receiving port of the plurality of ports stores a first frame of the data frames in at least one block of the blocks. A forwarding module assigns the first frame to a transmitting port of the plurality of ports for transmission over the respective communication channel of the transmitting port. A counter module stores respective counts for the plurality of ports. The counter module increments the count for the receiving port after the forwarding module assigns the first frame to the transmitting port. The counter module decrements the count for the receiving port after the first frame is transmitted by the transmitting port. The plurality of ports respectively exercise flow control based on a pause threshold and the respective counts.

Abstract: A system manages a buffer having a group of entries. The system receives information relating to a read request for a memory. The system determines whether an entry in the buffer contains valid information. If the entry is determined to contain valid information, the system transmits the information in the entry in an error message. The system may then store the received information in the entry. In another implementation, the system stores data in one of the entries of the buffer, removes an address corresponding to the one entry from an address list, and starts a timer associated with the one entry. The system also determines whether the timer has exceeded a predetermined value, transferring the data from the one entry when the timer has exceeded the predetermined value, and adds the address back to the address list.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transceiving multiple service data from multiple communication services to a SONET/SDH communication system or network is provided. A SONET/SDH universal framer (SURF) bidirectionally provides communication between a SONET/SDH communication port and multiple service communication ports using their native data format. A provisioning register stores provisioning information describing the communication system and the communication ports. A SONET/SDH byte engine processes complex hierarchical SONET/SDH frames storing intermediate states when it changes to process a byte of data of a different STS-1 equivalent frame in a SONET/SDH STS-N frame. A service byte engine processes the multitude of service data formats and generally its intermediate states are restored, processed, and saved when it changes to process a different data stream or a different frame of data of a given service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus includes identifying an address portion of a first message in an address slice of a switch, the first message associated with a first priority, the address portion of the first message including a first routing portion specifying a network resource; identifying an address portion of a second message in the address slice, the second message associated with a second priority, the address portion of the second message including a second routing portion specifying the same network resource; identifying a non-address portion of the first message in a non-address slice of the switch; identifying a non-address portion of the second message in the non-address slice, wherein neither of the non-address portions includes a routing portion specifying the network resource; selecting, independently in each slice, the same one of the first and second messages based on the first and second priorities; transferring the address portion of the selected message to the network resource specified by the rout

Abstract: A switch in a data communications network for performing traffic generation in addition to standard switching and routing operations is disclosed. The switch uses a fixed number of test packets retained in a conventional switch buffer to produce one or more infinite packet streams transmitted to a router under test (RUT). The switching device enqueues packets in the priority queues, dequeues the packets from the priority queues, transmits the dequeued packets to the RUT, and re-enqueues a copy of the dequeued packets into the priority queues from which they were dequeued. The enqueued packets and associated pointers to packets are organized into linked lists. By re-writing a copy of each dequeued packet to the tail of a linked list and updating the pointers, the switch produces repeatable streams of test packets. The priority buffers, without the re-write operation, may also be used for conventional egress traffic.

Abstract: A matrixed memory array device is disclosed that includes input ports and output ports. Each input port is coupled to a first data bus and each output port is coupled to a second data bus that is different and separate from the first data bus. A memory brick is placed at each cross-point between first data buses and second data buses so as to switchably couple frames of data from input ports to output ports. Each memory brick contains a plurality of eight transistor (8-T) memory cells that can be used to store, erase, read, write, and switchably couple a data bit from the input port to a corresponding output port.

Abstract: A network packet storage method and network packet transmitting apparatus using the same is provided. A packet content and a path control information are obtained from a received packet, and a packet storage address of the packet content is determined according to a predetermined storage rule. The packet content is stored in a data block and packet storage addresses and path control information of packets output via the same output port are stored in a control block. The data block is output when its size reaches a predetermined data block size such that a dynamic random access memory receives the data block by using burst mode. Further, the control block is output when its size reaches a predetermined control block size.

Abstract: Time division multiplexed input signals (i.e., separated into time slots) are spread in each time slot with a destination code. This spreading is applied for destination identification as opposed to signal information modulation. Each spreading signal is associated with a particular destination for a particular time slot. These spread signals are then combined on a code division bus. Output signals for retransmission to the destinations are recovered from the bus by application of despreading codes. Each despread signal has a destination code which appears in its individual time slot. In a variant code division multiplexed signals are directed to a destination by use of time slot interchanger to achieve time division switching to route the CDMA multiplexed channels.

Abstract: Digital signaling processing (DSP) circuitry that supports multiple channel or time division multiplexing (TDM) applications is provided. For example, the DSP circuitry can process one or more channels of data without mixing the data of one channel with data of another channel. DSP circuitry of the invention supports multiple channel or TDM applications by embedding a tap delay line structure within the DSP circuitry. Utilizing this embedded tap delay line structure enables the DSP circuitry to support multi-channel or TDM applications independent of any external circuitry such as logic resources, thereby freeing up those resources for other uses.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for making highly accurate data propagation delay measurements in a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) integrated circuit. The invention detects a selected special character when the special character is present at the input of a transmit data path of the SERDES integrated circuit. The invention also detects the special character when the special character appears at the output of the transmit data path. The invention then counts the number of clock cycles during which the selected character was in the transmit data path. This provides the data propagation delay of the special character through the transmit data path. The invention also makes data propagation delay measurements for a receive data path of a SERDES integrated circuit.

Abstract: A communication system for connecting a terminal connected to an exchange, to an outside communication network, through the exchange for connecting with the communication network, in which the terminal sends the transmission data including the information of the terminal identification value for uniquely identifying the terminal to the exchange so as to request the exchange setting processing for connecting the terminal to the communication network, while when receiving the request of the setting processing from the terminal, the exchange checks whether the communication setting for the terminal is stored, by using the received terminal identification value of the terminal, with reference to the communication setting information being stored for every terminal, and performs the setting processing for connecting the terminal to the communication network according to the stored communication setting when the communication setting for the terminal is stored.

Abstract: A mobile communications system is disclosed that includes a first local routing manager (LRM) providing a first network in which a mobile terminal is currently located, a second local routing manager (LRM) providing a second network in which a counterpart terminal communicating with the mobile terminal is currently located, and a home routing manager (HRM) managing correspondence between the unique home address of the counterpart terminal and the second network. The first LRM has a controller that acquires address information of the counterpart terminal from the second LRM, via the HRM, when the first LRM does not have the address information, and communication means that transmits the address information of the counterpart terminal to a router of a new cell in the first network when the mobile terminal moves into the new cell.

Abstract: In order to provide an ATM cell/packet switch which can easily maintain the band for the normality confirmation packet of the user data transfer path without influencing the user band at a state of in-band, and a communication control method using the switch, at least provided in the switch are: an SDRAM for storing the user data; a normality confirmation packet generator; a timing generator for generating the timing of a refresh cycle of the SDRAM; a selector for transferring the normality confirmation packet at the time of the refresh; and a packet reception unit for extracting the packet identifying information from the received packet data, and comparing the normality confirmation packet directly received from the packet generator to the normality confirmation packet received via the switch unit thereby to confirm the normality when the packet data is the normality confirmation packet.

Abstract: A base station apparatus corresponding to a first base station apparatus of base station apparatuses and connected to terminal apparatuses, first base station apparatus transmitting and receiving first packets with respect to a second base station apparatus corresponding to another of base station apparatuses and transmitting and receiving second packets with respect to terminal apparatuses, first base station apparatus transmits a third packet to second base station apparatus, third packet corresponding to one of first packets to be transmitted from first base station apparatus and including a first data item, second base station apparatus recognizing by first data item that first base station apparatus is one of base station apparatuses, third packet being used through an authentication process or an association process for connecting in wireless first base station apparatus to second base station apparatus.

Abstract: A switch system including a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports for transferring data from one of the input ports to one of the output ports, and a plurality of memory devices is disclosed. The memory devices include a first memory bank configured for data being written to the first memory bank while data is read from the first memory bank at a timeslot and a second memory bank, which is smaller than the first memory bank and configured for writing the data read from the first memory bank to the second memory bank and reading data from the second memory bank. The system further includes an address comparer configured to compare a write address of the first memory bank with a read address of the first memory bank and select data for output from the first memory bank if the write address is smaller than the read address and select data from the second memory bank if the read address is equal to or smaller than the write address.

Abstract: An integrated services digital network private branch exchange, which is capable of automatically choosing a synchronization clock source. The integrated services digital network private branch exchange comprises a plurality of trunk chips, a plurality of subscribe chips, and a plurality of priority selection circuits. Wherein, the trunk chips connect to the network terminal via the trunk interface, and then connect to the central office via the network terminal to receive the frame synchronization clock output signal and the data clock output signal. Whereas, the subscribe chips connect to the terminal equipment via the subscribe interface. The priority selection circuits that are connected to each other in a daisy chain circuit manner are connected to the trunk chips to send out the frame synchronization clock output signal and the data clock output signal.

Abstract: A switch queue predictive protocol (SQPP) includes a packet switching system including: a switch fabric having a cross-point switch, and a plurality of line cards, each coupled to the switch fabric. A cross-point buffer is located at each cross-point of the cross-point switch. The switch fabric also includes a plurality of actual available queue space tables (AAQSTs), each identifying the actual queue space available in a row of the cross-point buffers. Each of the line cards includes an input buffer, an output buffer, and a predicted available queue space table (PAQST) identifying predicted queue space available in a corresponding row of the cross-point buffers. Packet information is transmitted from a source line card to the switch fabric only if available queue space is predicted by the corresponding PAQST. The switch fabric uses the AAQST to update the PAQST after packet information is transmitted to a destination line card.

Abstract: A switch queue predictive protocol (SQPP) includes a packet switching system including: a switch fabric having a cross-point switch, and a plurality of line cards, each coupled to the switch fabric. A cross-point buffer is located at each cross-point of the cross-point switch. The switch fabric also includes a plurality of actual available queue space tables (AAQSTs), each identifying the actual queue space available in a row of the cross-point buffers. Each of the line cards includes an input buffer, an output buffer, and a predicted available queue space table (PAQST) identifying predicted queue space available in a corresponding row of the cross-point buffers. Packet information is transmitted from a source line card to the switch fabric only if available queue space is predicted by the corresponding PAQST. The switch fabric uses the AAQST to update the PAQST after packet information is transmitted to a destination line card.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating a comparand in a content addressable memory array. The apparatus includes a content addressable memory (CAM) array and translation circuitry to receive translation information indicative of translation of a bit group from an initial position in input data to a different position in a comparand transmitted to the CAM array. The translation circuitry includes a switch circuit, one or more storage elements to store the translation information, and one or more decode circuitry to decode the translation information and establish switch circuit connections between the initial position and the position in the comparand. The apparatus also includes program circuitry to provide a bit level programming interface with the translation circuitry. The apparatus may also include a programming bit register to store programming information in the form of a binary pattern where each bit represents a bit group of the input data.

Abstract: A networking system consists of multiple computing devices connected to multiple networking processing engines each containing a memory system including a random access device (RAM). The RAM device contains a memory controller which performs memory read and write request handling by buffering incoming memory read and write requests and distributing the requests across multiple memory banks of the RAM in connection with client processes that support network services of the networking system. The read and write requests are intelligently reordered or prioritized utilizing grouping of memory reads and memory writes in such a way as to minimize the processing time of the requests while maintaining data coherency.

Abstract: A time/space switching component is provided with multiple functionality that includes a time switching unit, of a space switching unit of a data channel sequence correction unit and of a control unit. As a result of corresponding mode selection, the different functionalities for a switching network are obtained with a single component, resulting in a significant reduction in an overall expenditure for development and manufacture.

Abstract: A system and method for autonomous data path verification in a multi-module shelf configuration, such as in a digital cross-connect system, are disclosed. The system generally includes a source port module, a destination module, and optional n-stage network of mapping interface modules. The source port module is configured to reuse transport overhead bytes of received SONET or SDH signals by inserting data path verification data therefor. The destination module is configured to perform autonomous data path verification between the source port module and the destination module by examining the reused transport overhead bytes of the signals received from the source port module. The method generally includes reusing transport overhead bytes by inserting data path verification data into the overhead bytes of signals received by a first module, e.g., a source port module, and transmitting the signals with the data path verification data toward a second module, e.g., a destination port module.

Abstract: A network services processor receives, stores, and modifies incoming packets and transmits them to their intended destination. The network services processor stores packets as buffers in main and cache memory for manipulation and retrieval. A memory subsystem stores packets as linked lists of buffers. Each bank of memory includes a separate memory management controller for controlling accesses to the memory bank. The memory management controllers, a cache management unit, and free list manager shift the scheduling of read and write operations to maximize overall system throughput. For each packet, packet context registers are assigned, including a packet handle that points to the location in memory of the packet buffer. The contents of individual packets can be accessed through the use of encapsulation pointer registers that are directed towards particular offsets within a packet, such as the beginning of different protocol layers within the packet.

Abstract: A system provides control information from a control system to a number of control stores in a switch. The system includes a control point which receives control information for distribution to predetermined control stores. The control information for a point-to-point connection includes a first control code C1 and a second control code C2. The system further includes a first link providing the first control code C1 to a first control store, a number of selectively active links, each of which provides, when active, the second control code C2 from the control point to a respective further control store, and circuitry for activating one of the selectively active links in response to the first control code C1.

Abstract: A network switch configured for switching data packets across multiple ports uses an address table to generate frame forwarding information. The address table includes aging information used by an internal decision making engine so that aged entries are invalidated after a programmable period of time. The network switch includes a test mode so that the aging function is able to be quickly tested by an external test device.