Madge Networks Limited

Simon Davie Barber

Jonathan Curnyn

Crispin Nicholas Dent-Young

Trevor Warwick

Christopher Guy Sabey

David A Pearce

David Andrew James Pearce

A bridge device ( ) for connecting a plurality of communication networks ( ) around which data is transmitted in frames which include control information defining at least the identity of a destination for data in the frame, each network having at least one end station ( ). The bridge device comprises a corresponding plurality of data coupling units ( ) for connection to respective ones of the networks ( ), each data coupling unit including receive ( ) and transmit ( ) interfaces for respectively receiving data from and transmitting data onto the connected network. A common store ( ) is connected to all the data coupling units for receiving data being transmitted from one network to another. A controller ( ) controls the routing of data through the bridge device ( ) via the common store ( ), the controller causing incoming data to be routed to a destination network before the data has been fully stored in the common store, if predetermined conditions are satisfied, the controller being adapted to monitor the amount of free space in the common storage means and to prevent the supply of data to the common store if the available free space is less than a predetermined amount.

Bridge device

A bridge device (4) for connecting a plurality of communication networks (1-3) around which data is transmitted in frames which include control information defining at least the identity of a destination for data in the frame, each network having at least one end station (8-12). The bridge device comprises a corresponding plurality of data coupling units (13,14) for connection to respective ones of the networks (1-3), each data coupling unit including receive (13) and transmit (14) interfaces for respectively receiving data from and transmitting data onto the connected network. A common store (17) is connected to all the data coupling units for receiving data being transmitted from one network to another. A controller (16,28) controls the routing of data through the bridge device (4) via the common store (17), the controller causing incoming data to be routed to a destination network before the data has been fully stored in the common store, if predetermined conditions are satisfied, the controller being adapted to monitor the amount of free space in the common storage means and to prevent the supply of data to the common store if the available free space is less than a predetermined amount.

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Berks, United Kingdom

Simon Davie Barber