EP0613316A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Packet switching resource management within nodes
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-12-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-12-15
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for making limited internal-node communication facilities externally visible in a packet switching network. Internal- node communication facilities are called intranode links, can include any cable, channel, bus, etc. over which data passes, and are used to connect the multiple subnodes within a given node. Each subnode contains a switching mechanism and routes packets to other nodes, subnodes, or user applications. Each node provides network control functions such as topology, directory, path selection, and bandwidth management which can manage intranode links in the same manner that internode links are currently managed.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Haskell Derby
- 👤 John Gary Dudley
- 👤 Marc Adam Kaplan
- 👤 John Ellis Drake Jr.
- 👤 Roch Guerin
- 👤 Gerald Arnold Marin
- 👤 Maria Lambert Peters
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:44
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/25; H04L49/10; H04L49/102; H04L49/104; H04L49/105; H04L49/107; H04L49/15; H04L49/1553; H04L49/256; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5629; H04L2012/5631; H04L2012/5632; H04L45/00; H04L49/30; H04L49/3009; H04L49/55; H04L49/555
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A packet switched communication network including two or more nodes connected by transmission links, each of said nodes containing a control point consisting of various routing and control functions, said network comprising: two or more subnodes within one or more of said nodes; intranode communication links connecting the subnodes within the nodes which contain subnodes; and means in each node for routing packets between the subnodes of a different node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
The packet switching network of Claim 1 in which one of said control points is within one of said subnodes in such nodes that include a subnode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The packet switching network of Claim 1 in which one of said control points is distributed among the several subnodes in such nodes that include a subnode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
The packet switching network of Claim 1 in which said control point, whether located in a node having no internal subnodes or in a subnode of a node, maintains a copy of the topology database containing information on the status and characteristics of all nodes and links in the network, and said topology database contains the status and characteristics, not only of nodes without subnodes, but of subnodes within those nodes containing subnodes, and said topology database contains the status and characteristics of the intranode links connecting the subnodes within those nodes containing subnodes as well as the internode links.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The packet switching network of Claim 4 in which said subnodes are represented in said topology database with unique identifiers, and said intranode links are assigned unique routing labels and are also represented in said topology database.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The packet switching network of Claim 5 in which said identifiers for subnodes are of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID, where NetID is a one to eight byte unique designation for the network, Node ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for a node within such a network, and Subnode ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for a subnode within such a node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
82 words
The packet switching network of Claim 5 in which addresses for end users are of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID.routing label, where NetID is a one to eight byte unique designation for the network, Node ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for a node within such a network, Subnode ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for a subnode within such a node, and Routing label is the ANR label for the end user within a subnode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
The packet switching network of Claim 5 in which addresses for a group of end users are of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID.tree address, where NetID is a one to eight byte unique designation for the network; Node ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for each node within such a network; Subnode ID is a one to eight byte unique designation for each subnode within a node, and Tree address is the address of a tree by which the group of end users is connected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A node adapted for use in a packet network which includes at least one other node, each node having a control point means therein; and which is connected to other nodes by one or more internode transmission links comprising: two or more subnodes within said node, which are connected by intranode communication links said control point means being responsible for participating in the management of said intranode communication links in said node.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The node as in Claim 9 wherein said control point means maintains a copy of a topology database which includes information on the status and characteristics of the subnodes and intranode links in said other nodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The node as in Claim 10 wherein: said subnodes are represented in said topology database with unique identifiers, and said intranode links are assigned unique routing labels and are also represented in said topology database.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The node as in Claim 11 in which said identifiers for subnodes are of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID, where: NetID is a unique designation for said network; Node ID is a unique designation for a node within said network; and Subnode ID is a unique designation for a subnode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The node as in Claim 11 in which addresses for end users are of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID.routing label, where: NetID is a unique designation for said network; Node ID is a unique designation for a node within said network; Subnode ID is a unique designation for a subnode; and Routing label is the ANR label for the end user within a subnode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
The node as in Claim 11 in which an address for a group of end users is of the form NetID.node ID.subnode ID.tree address, where: NetID is a unique designation for said network; Node ID is a unique designation for each node within said network; Subnode ID is a unique designation for each subnode, and Tree address is the address of the tree by which the group of end users is connected.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
74 words
A method for creating an expanded information packet to be exchanged between two nodes of a packet switching network during link activation, said method comprising the steps of: creating a message field containing ANR labels within said information packets; setting the beginning ANR labels of said message field to specify the intranode links between subnodes of the sending node; and setting the final ANR label to designate the control point of the sending node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
A node adapted for use in a packet network which includes at least one other node, said node having means for generating an expanded information packet having a message field containing one or more ANR labels to be transmitted to another node in said structure, said information packet comprising; beginning ANR labels specifying intranode links; and a final ANR label designating the control point of said node.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for creating a spanning tree which includes one or more intranode links, said method comprising the steps of: determining, in a node, which subnodes have external links that are part of the spanning tree; selecting, in said node, a set of intranode links that connect said subnodes, and a subnode within which said node's control point is to reside such that no loops are formed; and programming said links with the tree address.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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