Patent · US Active

Secure automatic learning in ethernet bridges

US7796590B1 · kind B1 · utility

7Cited by
16References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 1, 2006
Grant dateSep 14, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 12, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L49/351
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of managing network traffic. The method includes initializing a database in communication with a network device. The database includes a number of MAC address entries and a network flooding entry associated with each of the number of MAC address entries. Each of the number of MAC address entries is associated with a station known to the network. The method also includes receiving network traffic at the network device. The network traffic is associated with a MAC source address. The method further includes determining whether the MAC source address is included in the database, automatically learning a location associated with the MAC source address, and forwarding the network traffic over the network if the MAC source address is included in the database. Additionally, the method includes dropping or trapping the network traffic if the MAC source address is not included in the database. Dropping the network traffic is performed without interaction with a CPU.

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