Network and method for the configuration thereof

US7809810B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Frank Scholz · San Diego, US
• Dirk Bolte · Birkenfeld, DE
• Friedrich M. Welter · Schrobenhausen, DE
• Martin Kuenzel · Lambach, DE
• Friedemann Baitinger · Nagold, DE
• Andreas Bieswanger · Eppelheim, DE
• Juergen Saalmueller · Holzgerlingen, DE
• Andreas Arnez · Schenefeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 2008
• Grant date: Oct 5, 2010
• Expiry date: Jan 27, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L41/0803
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and corresponding apparatus is provided for determining the location of a configuration server being connected to a totally symmetric network infrastructure that does not exhibit any symmetry breakers on network level. The configuration server reaches a decision to determine its network-wide unique configuration in order to be able to serve controllers. This decision depends on the plug position of the configuration server under consideration and the assumption of plugging rules governing a “good” network infrastructure. The controllers periodically send network packets that will be marked if they traverse specific connection elements in the network. The origin and the path of a network packet can be determined. The decision making is based on a majority function based on the packets received by the configuration server. If a decision cannot be made, then errors in the cabling structure can be detected.