Network system and method for automatic discovery of topology using overhead bandwidth
US6654802B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L43/0811
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for continuously monitoring neighboring network elements and determining physical connection topology and changes in topology among network elements. Each port in a network element capable of having physical connectivity to a port on an adjacent network element has a unique identification of the node and a unique identification of the port. The identification is both available to the network management system and continuously transmitted on the physical link between two ports in the network, thus identifying the transmitting port to the receiving port. As nodes and ports are added to or deleted from a network, a representation of the nodes or ports is added or removed from the network management system. The local operating program in each network element informs the network management system of changes, or changes are queried by a network management system. The transmission of identification takes place in overhead data channels, designated as topology trace channels, which are designed into the overall framework of the transmission system and its equipment. No information capacity that could support network customer traffic or network control traffic between ne…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.