Method and apparatus for applying once-only processing in a data network
US6721314B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 13, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/1877
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Duplicate processing at network operators is avoided by applying once-only processing at operators which are adjacent to either the source or destination host of a data packet. An operator is adjacent to a host if there exists a path between the operator and the host containing no other operators. In one embodiment, an operator determines that it is adjacent to a host if it receives a special broadcast data packet from the host. To ensure that no other operators receive the special broadcast data packet, the adjacent operator drops the packet. In another embodiment, operators determine whether they are adjacent to identified hosts by transmitting special ping packets to the hosts. If an operator receives a ping response from the host, the operator determines that it is adjacent to the host. To ensure that only adjacent operators receive ping responses, intervening operators drop special ping packets received from other operators.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.