Ring based network interconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017310544-A1
Application number	US-201715648217-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 12, 2017
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A network. At least some embodiments are a network including a first root node connected to a first port of a first switch and a second root node connected to a first port of a second switch. A first link is connected to a second port of the first switch and connected to a second port of the second switch. A second link is connected to a third port of a first switch and connected to a third port of the second switch.

First claim

1 . A network comprising:
a first root node connected to a first port of a first switch; a second root node connected to a first port of a second switch; a first link connected to a second port of the first switch and connected to a second port of the second switch; and a second link connected to a third port of the first switch and connected to a third port of the second switch, wherein at least one of the second port of the first switch and the second port of the second switch comprises a non-transparent bridge.

2 . The network of claim 1 wherein the first link comprises:
a first link segment, the first link segment having a first end connected to the second port of the first switch and a second end connected to a first port of a third switch; and
a second link segment, the second link segment having a first end connected to a second port of the third switch and having a second end connected to the second port of the second switch.

3 . The network of claim 1 wherein the first link is configured to connect to a non-transparent port of the first switch upon initiation of the network.

4 . The network of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first port of the third switch and the second port of the third switch comprises a non-transparent bridge.

5 . The network of claim 1 wherein the first root node comprises a processor (CPU).

6 . The network of claim 2 further comprising a first end-point node connected to a third port of the third switch.

7 . The network of claim 6 wherein the first end-point node comprises a service point device.

8 . The network of claim 7 wherein the service point device comprises a signal interface device.

9 . A method comprising:
detecting a link segment connection by a first network device; notifying, by the first network device, a first root node of the link segment connection; reading a network configuration file by the first root node; and if a second network device is in an address space of the first root node based on the network configuration file, enumerating the second network device.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the network configuration file is a static network configuration file.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the second network device is a switch.

12 . The method of claim 9 further comprising, if the second network device is not in the address space of the first root node based on the network configuration file, generating, based on the configuration file, a non-transparent address mapping between the address space of the first root node and an address space of the first network device.

13 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
detecting a link segment connection by a third network device;
notifying, by the third network device, a second root node of the link segment connection;
reading the network configuration file by the second root node; and
if the third network device is not in the address space of the second root node based on the network configuration file, generating, based on the configuration file, a non-transparent address mapping between the address space of the second root node and an address space of the third network device.

14 . The method of 13 further comprising, if the third network device is in the address space of the second root node based on the network configuration file, enumerating the third network device.

15 . An apparatus comprising:
a signal interface device, the signal interface device configured to connect to a network and including an interface between an end-point device wherein the end-point device is not native to the network.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a network switch coupled to the signal interface device, the signal interface device configured to connect to the network via the network switch.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the network switch is a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch.

18 . The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the end-point device comprises a sensor.

Assignees

• Elbit Systems America Llc

Inventors

• Woodward Robert A
• Herring Daniel M
• Hull Andrew W

Classifications

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L12/4625

  Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge · CPC title

• H04L41/0663 Primary

  Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements · CPC title

• H04L41/0803 Primary

  Configuration setting · CPC title