Cross-over and bypass configurations for high-speed data transmission

摘要

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may improve networking techniques for transferring data among various electronic devices. One example may provide sharing data among various devices by daisy-chaining devices together. That is, several devices may be connected to each other through a series of cables to form a chain of devices. In this physical configuration, data may be shared among multiple devices using a series of single-hop virtual tunnels. Alternatively, a number of tunnels may be formed by a host device, each having a target device in the daisy chain. Each tunnel may originate at the host device and terminate at their target device. Each tunnel may bypass devices between the host device and the tunnel's target device. These two techniques may also be combined. Another example may provide a method of simplifying the routing of high-speed data signals through a network topology.

主权项

1. A method of transferring data among a plurality of electronic devices comprising:
forming a first tunnel in a host device, the first tunnel for conveying data for a first electronic device and a second electronic device; using a first physical cable as a physical path for the first tunnel to transmit the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device; receiving the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device at the first electronic device using a first switching circuit in the first electronic device; passing the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device from the first switching circuit to a second switching circuit in the first electronic device; providing the data for the first electronic device to circuitry in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit; forming a second tunnel in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit, the second tunnel for conveying data for the second electronic device; passing the data for the second electronic device from the second switching circuit to the first switching circuit; using a second physical cable as a path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device from the first switching circuit in the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and receiving the data for the second electronic device at the second electronic device.