The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 13, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 11, 1996
David Book, Thornhill, CA;
McData Corporation, Broomfield, CO (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a fiber channel switch employing a distributed queuing algorithm for interconnecting a plurality of devices (workstations, supercomputer, peripherals) through their associated node ports (N.sub.-- ports) and employs a fabric having a shared memory coupled to a plurality of fabric ports (F.sub.-- ports) through a bi-directional bus over which memory addresses, frame data and communications commands are transmitted. Each F.sub.-- port includes a port controller employing a distributed queuing algorithm associated with a control network for communicating commands between the ports related to when and where frame transfers should be made, wherein the bi-directional bus provides an independent data network for access to the shared memory such that frames can be transferred to and from the shared memory in response to port controller commands.