Dynamic switching system for switching between event driven interfaces in response to switching bit pattern including in data frame in a data communications network

Claim 1

In a system for monitoring and controlling a data communications network which communicates a serial bit stream of binary bits having a characteristic pattern, including a data frame having a switching segment, a dynamic switch for switching between a first Event Driven Interface and a second Event Driven Interface based upon inband information in said switching segment, comprising: a first Event Driven Interface having an input coupled to said data communications network, said first Event Driven Interface programmed with a first plurality of logic paths, each logic path defined to identify a characteristic pattern and for outputting an event vector in response to identifying a characteristic pattern in said serial bit stream, with at least one logic path programmed to identify a first switching bit pattern in said switching segment and outputting a first enabling signal when said first switching bit pattern is identified; a second Event Driven Interface having an input coupled to said data communications network, said second Event Driven Interface programmed with a second plurality of logic paths, each logic path defined to identify a characteristic pattern and for outputting an event vector in response to identifying a characteristic pattern in said serial bit stream, with at least one logic path programmed to identify a second switching bit pattern in said switching segment and outputting a second enabling signal when said second switching bit pattern is identified; a first gate coupled between said data communications network and said first Event Driven Interface, having a control input coupled to said second enabling signal output from said second Event Driven Interface, for selectively connecting said first Event Driven Interface to said data communications network; a second gate coupled between said second Event Driven Interface and said data communications network, having a control input coupled to said first enabling signal output from said first Event Driven Interface, for selectively connecting said second Event Driven Interface to said data communications network; said first Event Driven Interface identifying said first switching bit pattern and outputting said first enabling signal to said second gate, thereby selectively coupling said second Event Driven Interface to said data communications network in response to inband information contained in said switching segment.