Method of using bit vectors to allow expansion and collapse of header layers within packets for enabling flexible modifications and an apparatus thereof
US11050859B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/08
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of the apparatus for modifying packet headers relate to a use of bit vectors to allow expansion and collapse of protocol headers within packets for enabling flexible modification. A rewrite engine expands each protocol header into a generic format and applies various commands to modify the generalized protocol header. The rewrite engine maintains a bit vector for the generalized protocol header with each bit in the bit vector representing a byte of the generalized protocol header. A bit marked as 0 in the bit vector corresponds to an invalid byte, while a bit marked as 1 in the bit vector corresponds to a valid byte. The rewrite engine uses the bit vector to remove all the invalid bytes after all commands have been operated on the generalized protocol header to thereby form a new protocol header.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.