Method and apparatus for supporting communications between nodes operating in a master-slave configuration
US7389332B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jun 17, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/403
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A node (101, FIG. 1), within a networked computer system (100), is capable of supporting communications with other nodes relating to operating multiple application instances in a master-slave configuration. The node initiates (602, FIG. 6) and maintains (FIGS. 7, 8) a state diagram (FIG. 2) for each application instance currently running in the master-slave configuration on the node or the other nodes. In addition, the node listens for new application instances that are discovered on the node or on the other nodes. The nodes can be interconnected using multiple networks (104, FIG. 1), and redundant messages received by the node can be ignored (FIG. 11), if those redundant messages would adversely affect maintenance of the state diagram for an application instance. When a node determines that it should no longer operate as a master for an application instance, the node can initiate a resignation process (FIG. 4), during which another node will attempt to become the master for the application instance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.