Patent · US Expired

Method for detecting dedicated link between an end station and a network device

US6367018B1 · kind B1 · utility

24Cited by
12References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1998
Grant dateApr 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L63/08
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A dedicated link between the intermediate system or other network device and the end system is detected prior to exchanging the authentication/identification information of the user, thereby ensuring that the information is seen only by the network device and the end system and by no one else. The method determines whether a network device has a direct connection to an end station using a test of a physical layer link active signaling mechanism. The method includes sending a message via the network from the network device to the end station indicating initiation of a test of the physical layer link active signaling mechanism. The network device then determines whether the end station participates in the test prior to proceeding with the authentication/identification processes.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.