Method and apparatus for providing control information in a system using distributed communication routing
US7068661B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 13, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 27, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/42
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing distributed communication routing includes a route computation engine operably coupled to a plurality of forwarding engines within a logically distributed router. Registration information is provided to the route computation processor by the forwarding engines, and the forwarding engines are recognized and identified by the route computation processor in response. The registration information includes information regarding interfaces or connections amongst the forwarding engines and external routers and other external destinations. The route computation processor provides control information to at least one of the plurality of forwarding engines for distributed routing maintenance and/or specific data forwarding operations. Distributed routing maintenance includes monitoring the status of the forwarding engines, while specific data forwarding operations include tunneling messages relayed to and from the route computation processor by the forwarding engines and packet formatting information that controls how the format of packets forwarded by a forwarding engine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.