MULTIPORT LAN BRIDGE

摘要

A multiport bridge includes a plurality of Bridge Port Frame Handler (BPFH) units coupled through a Source Routing bus and a Transparent Bridge Bus to a microcontroller, a Packet Memory and a Transparent Bridge Control Management System (TBCMS). Each Bridge Port Frame Handler unit receives Frame from its attached LAN, forwards selected portions of Source Routing Frames to other Bridge Port Frame Handlers for further processing. Likewise, selected portions of Transparent Bridge Frames are forwarded to the TBCMS whereat routing information and signature information is extracted and returned to the forwarding BPFH unit for further processing.