Ring Connection Control Circuit for Ethernet Subring Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale Ethernet networks, especially in building and plant facilities, the reliability of data communication is compromised when a failure occurs in one subring, as conventional ring Ethernet systems temporarily inhibit data communication in other subrings due to network control restructuring.
Innovation Solution
A ring connection control circuit and ring switching hub system that performs independent redundancy control processes for each subring, using MAC processing units, STP processing units, and a transfer processing unit to isolate redundancy control processes, ensuring that data communication on unaffected subrings is maintained even if a failure occurs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single ring Ethernet system is used to connect multiple nodes in large-scale facilities, then the wiring complexity is reduced compared to star configuration, but the reliability of data communication decreases when a failure occurs in one subring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large-scale Ethernet network into multiple independent subrings, each managed by a separate ring Ethernet switch. This segmentation allows failures in one subring to be isolated and not affect other subrings, thereby improving overall system reliability while maintaining manageable wiring complexity through modular deployment
2Reliability
If conventional ring Ethernet systems perform network control restructuring when a failure occurs, then system redundancy is achieved, but data communication in other subrings is temporarily inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements independent redundancy control for each subring through separate ring Ethernet switches. When a failure occurs in one subring, the spanning tree protocol restructuring is confined to that specific subring only, while other subrings continue to operate without interruption, thus maintaining high data communication availability alongside system redundancy
Solution Approach 2:
The ring Ethernet switch acts as an intermediary that isolates the redundancy control processes of different subrings. By processing spanning tree protocol messages independently for each subring, the switch prevents failure-induced restructuring in one subring from propagating to other subrings, ensuring continuous data communication across the network
Data Source
AI summary
If either of the MAC processing units in one of the ring connection control circuits receives a MAC frame that includes control information for the redundancy control process related to one of the subrings from that subring, then output of the relevant MAC frame to the transfer processing unit is restricted and the relevant MAC frame is output to the STP processing unit.