Method for determining the topology of a mixed-media network
US5850397A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 10, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 10, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/42
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for determining the topology of a mixed-media network is provided. According to the method, the network is divided into communities of devices that support a common topology mechanism ("spheres"). On each sphere, one or more sphere topology agents generate and accumulate topology data for the devices on the sphere using the topology mechanism that is supported by the devices within the sphere. A global topology agent collects the topology data for each sphere from the various sphere agents and assembles the data to determine the global topology of the mixed-media network. The global topology agent begins by collecting data from a current sphere and identifies additional spheres based on data stored in boundary devices within the current sphere. The global topology agent then repeats the same process with the additional spheres until topology data has been collected from all of the spheres in the mixed-media network.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.