Automatic topology monitor for multi-segment local area network
US5546540A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/26
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A local area network (LAN) topology monitor including segment monitor nodes which report the presence of new end nodes to a network manager node. The segment monitors send a test-node message when requested by the network manager and inform the network manager of any test-node messages originating from other segments. The network manager uses the sequence of received new-node messages and test-node messages to determine the topology of the LAN. If one segment monitor reports a new node, the new node must be connected to the same segment as the reporting monitor. If multiple segment monitors report the presence of a new node, the network manager requests each reporting segment monitor to send a test-node message. Since the segment monitors report test-node messages received from other segment monitors, if only one segment monitor responds as having received a test-node message, then that segment contains the new node. Otherwise, the new node is off-segment. The presence of one or more bridges connected to particular segment may be similarly determined by having the network manager initiate on-segment test messages.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.