Apparatus and methods for point-to-point links in robust networks
US7453825B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 13, 2004 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W24/04
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of operating a network switch to provide wireless redundancy in a network. A keep-alive control packet is periodically transmitting over a wireless link, wherein the keep-alive control packet has a destination MAC address being that of the other switch on the other side of the wireless link, and wherein the keep-alive control packet is specifically designated to be identified as a keep-alive type packet. The specific designation may be implemented by having a source MAC address comprising a predetermined reserved MAC address. A key portion of one embodiment is the detection of the nearest neighbor in a point-to-point connection without confusion with another device elsewhere in the network. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.