Patent · US Expired

Communication apparatus for routing or discarding a packet sent from a user terminal

US6907470B2 · kind B2 · utility

24Cited by
8References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 2001
Grant dateJun 14, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 18, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L69/325
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A packet communications apparatus of the present invention essentially comprises a plurality of network interfaces (NIFs), a learned address table, a packet forwarding unit (PFU) and a processor for directive packets to change state (PDPCS). The learned address table contains information for identifying a NIF through which to send a packet. The PFU selects a port through which to forward a packet by referring to the learned address table, according to the state of the NIFs, and forwards or discards a packet received from a user terminal. The PDPCS receives a packet including a directive to change the state of a specific NIF to one of the connected state, disconnected state and stateless. The PDPCS changes the state of the specific NIF to one of the connected state, disconnected state and stateless, according to the directive in the packet.

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