Port within a multi-port bridge including a buffer for storing routing information for data packets received in the port

Abstract

The invention is a port in a multi-port bridge for a local area network having a vector buffer for storing vectors relating to the routing of data packets received in the port. The bridge includes a plurality of ports coupled a data bus and to a look-up bus. A look-up table coupled to the look-up bus correlates destination node addresses from each packet to an appropriate destination port. In addition, a packet buffer is coupled to the data bus for temporarily storing data packets. When a packet is received into a receive buffer of a source port, a destination and source address included in the packet are utilized to update the look-up table and to identify the appropriate destination port for the packet. This is preferably performed by the source port communicating with the look-up table via the look-up bus. Once the destination port has been identified, the identification of the destination port is stored in the receive vector for the packet. While a data packet is being communicated to the destination port via the data bus, appropriate destination ports can be identified for additional data packets received in the port. Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that operations for multiple data packets received by the port can be performed simultaneously, thus, increasing the packet handling capacity of the multi-port bridge.