Network topology control method and apparatus
US5084870A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jan 28, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/42
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting invalid network topologies in a local area network (LAN). The stations comprising the LAN include single attachment stations (SAS), dual attachment stations (DAS), wire concentrators (WC), and DAS/WC combination stations. Adjacent stations exchange connection type information identifying a type of physical connection of the station sending the connection information. A station receiving the connection information determines whether the connection is valid for its physical connection type using a connection matrix. Invalid connections can result in a network topology where stations are physically connected, but are not logically connected, because the stations do not all form a primary ring. Invalid connections may be rejected and bypassed in each station. Alternately, a station detecting an invalid connection may reconfigure itself using an internal data switch. The actions of each station, taken together, achieve a globally designated primary ring.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.