US6438614B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polymorphic token based control
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
•
Filing: 1998-03-20
•
Granted: 2002-08-20
•
Expires: 2018-03-20
Abstract
Abstract The protocol for controlling a network is encapsulated within the token circulated through the token ring network. Each computer in the network that receives the token examines the token and implements the network protocol specified in the token. In this manner, the protocol of the network can be easily changed, and automatically promulgated throughout the network.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Arnold
- 👤 James H. Waldo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/42; G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/52; G06F9/526; H04L12/40; H04L12/407; H04L12/417; H04L12/427; H04L12/433; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; G06F2209/00; G06F2209/52; G06F2209/522; G06F8/00; G06F8/60; H04L69/00; H04L69/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of updating a resource allocation protocol for controlling a computer network including a plurality of computers, the method comprising the steps of: creating a token object containing a method defining an updated version of the protocol; sequentially passing the token object to each computer in the network to facilitate communication between the computers; and updating the protocol used by each of said plurality of computers with the method defining the updated version of the protocol while the token object is present at one of the computers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of updating a resource allocation protocol for controlling a computer network including a plurality of computers, the method comprising the steps of: creating a token object containing a method defining an updated version of the protocol; sequentially passing the token object to each computer in the network to facilitate communication between the computers; and updating the protocol used by each of said plurality of computers with the method defining the updated version of the protocol while the token object is present at one of the computers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sequentially passing the token object includes the substep of transmitting a token object defined with the Java programming language.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of sequentially passing the token object further includes the substep of transmitting the token object using the Java remote invocation system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sequentially passing the token object to each computer in the network includes the substep of introducing the token object into the network by an authorized computer when the authorized computer is given control of a previous version of the token object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the protocol carried out by the plurality of computers in the network implements a token ring computer network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of creating the token object containing methods defining an updated version of the protocol further includes the substep of defining a new token passing order for the network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
A token ring network comprising: a token ring object including methods and data that define a protocol for the token ring network, a plurality of interconnected computers; and the token ring object being sequentially transferred to each of the plurality of computers to facilitate communication between the plurality of computers, and when one of said plurality of computers has received possession of the token ring object, adopting the protocol defined by the token ring object when the protocol defined by the token ring object is different than the protocol in use by the computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
94 words
A token ring network comprising: a token ring object including methods and data that define a protocol for the token ring network, a plurality of interconnected computers; and the token ring object being sequentially transferred to each of the plurality of computers to facilitate communication between the plurality of computers, and when one of said plurality of computers has received possession of the token ring object, adopting the protocol defined by the token ring object when the protocol defined by the token ring object is different than the protocol in use by the computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The network of claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of computers further includes a remote object passing mechanism to transfer the token object to other of the plurality of computers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network of claim 8 , wherein each of said plurality of computers further includes a virtual machine on which the remote object passing mechanism is implemented.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of updating a protocol for controlling a computer network comprising the steps of: receiving a token object at a first computer in the network; consulting the token object, and, when the token object indicates that a new protocol is to be used to transmit information on the network, updating an older version of the protocol stored at the first computer; and transmitting the token object to a second computer in the network, the second computer being determined based on information in the token object.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of updating a protocol for controlling a computer network comprising the steps of: receiving a token object at a first computer in the network; consulting the token object, and, when the token object indicates that a new protocol is to be used to transmit information on the network, updating an older version of the protocol stored at the first computer; and transmitting the token object to a second computer in the network, the second computer being determined based on information in the token object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 , further including the step of introducing an updated version of the token object into the network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of introducing an updated version of the token object further includes the substep of defining a new token transmission order for the network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of transmitting the token object includes the substep of transmitting the token object using the Java remote invocation system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
82 words
A computer readable medium containing instructions for causing computers to update a protocol used to control a computer network, the instructions causing the computers to perform the steps of: creating a token object containing methods defining an updated version of the protocol; sequentially passing the token object to each of the computers; and updating the protocol used by each of the computers with the methods defining the updated version of the protocol while the token object is present at said each computer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
A computer readable medium containing instructions for causing computers to update a protocol used to control a computer network, the instructions causing the computers to perform the steps of: creating a token object containing methods defining an updated version of the protocol; sequentially passing the token object to each of the computers; and updating the protocol used by each of the computers with the methods defining the updated version of the protocol while the token object is present at said each computer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions for causing the computers to perform the step of sequentially passing the token object to each of the computers includes the substep of introducing the token object to the computers by an authorized computer when the authorized computer is given control of a previous version of the token object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions for causing the computers to perform the step of sequentially passing the token object includes the substep of transmitting the token object using the Java remote invocation system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the protocol carried out by the plurality of computers in the network implements a token ring computer network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions for causing the computers to perform the step of creating the token object containing methods defining an updated version of the protocol further includes the substep of defining a new token passing order for the network.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for updating a protocol in a network comprising the steps of: receiving a token object containing a method defining a protocol of the network; updating a protocol used by a computer using the protocol of the network defined in the received token object; and sending the token object.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
50 words
A method for updating a protocol in a network comprising the steps of: receiving a token object containing a method defining a protocol of the network; updating a protocol used by a computer using the protocol of the network defined in the received token object; and sending the token object.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein the receiving step includes the substep of receiving the token object at a first computer in the network and the sending step includes the substep of transmitting the object to a second computer in the network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19 , further including the step of sequentially sending the token object to each computer in the network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19 , further including the step of introducing an updated version of the token object into the network.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-02-18 | 2006-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-19 | 2010-02-18 | 2010-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-19 | 2014-02-18 | 2014-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |