3Com Corporation

Michael B Duclos

William C Mallard, Jr

Jeffrey A Gross

David X Walls

A system for communicating an event status across a data channel is provided. The system includes a data path to provide connectivity for a plurality of communication channels using data transport protocols. An originating device is coupled to a first location on the data path, and is operable to set an event status indicator in a control portion of a data unit. The originating device is additionally operable to communicate a data signal as one or more data units on a data channel supported on the data path. A receiving device is coupled to a second location on the data path, and is operable to detect the event status indicator in the control portion of the data unit. The receiving device is additionally operable to convert the one or more data units communicated on the data channel to a recovered data signal. The event status indicator identifying an event status, such as a buffer overflow or underflow condition, or a line status, for example.

System and method for communicating an event status across a data channel

An improvement to conventional ATM network paradigms involves the distribution of ATM switching functions across a large number of ATM switching units, each of which may typically provide a limited number of available ports, and by establishing multiple connections between the larger number of ATM switching units in a partially redundant 'chained' configuration analogous to various ring type topologies. A plurality of 'XNODES' each comprising a packet segmentation/reassembly circuit and an ATM switching circuit may be interconnected in various ways to form redundant ATM paths without the need to replicate large and expensive ATM switches.

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Stow, MA, United States of America

Michael B Duclos