Dynamic loading of protocol stacks under signaling control

• US 20020143962A1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Carter, George E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Techniques for dynamically loading protocol stacks under signaling control (e.g., a message) are provided. A message can be sent to load a protocol stack. If the protocol stack cannot be loaded, a different protocol stack (such as an unused protocol stack) is unloaded so that the desired protocol stack can be loaded. Memory can be more efficiently utilized and non-sharable protocol stacks can be easily shared.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of dynamically loading protocol stacks, comprising:

receiving a message to load a first protocol stack;

determining whether the first protocol stack can be loaded;

unloading a second protocol stack if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded; and

loading the first protocol stack.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded because memory was not available to load the first protocol stack.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded because the first and second protocol stacks are not compatible.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a database for procedures for loading the first protocol stack.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a database for procedures for unloading the second protocol stack.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising accessing a database to determine that the first and second protocol stacks are not compatible.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is loaded by launching a process or launching a service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second protocol is unloaded by sending a message to a process, killing a process or stopping a service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message specifies portions of the first protocol stack that are to be loaded.

10. A computer program product that dynamically loads protocol stacks, comprising:

computer code that receives a message to load a first protocol stack;

computer code that determines whether the first protocol stack can be loaded;

computer code that unloads a second protocol stack if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded;

computer code that loads the first protocol stack; and

a computer readable medium that stores the computer codes.

11. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, or a data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, or a data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second nodes are in different devices.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second nodes are the same node in a single device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded on the second node because memory was not available to load the first protocol stack.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded on the second node because the first and second protocol stacks are not compatible.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising accessing a database for procedures for loading the first protocol stack on the second node.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising accessing a database for procedures for unloading the second protocol stack on the second node.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising accessing a database to determine that the first and second protocol stacks are not compatible.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the first protocol is loaded on the second node by launching a process or launching a service.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the second protocol is unloaded on the second node by sending a message to a process, killing a process or stopping a service.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the message specifies portions of the first protocol stack that are to be loaded on the second node.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, or a data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, or a data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing a computer program including computer code that receives a message to load a first protocol stack, computer code that determines whether the first protocol stack can be loaded, computer code that unloads a second protocol stack if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded, and computer code that loads the first protocol stack.

14. A computer-implemented method of dynamically loading protocol stacks, comprising:

a first node sending a message to a second node to load a first protocol stack;

the second node receiving the message to load the first protocol stack;

the second node determining whether the first protocol stack can be loaded;

the second node unloading a second protocol stack if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded on the second node; and

the second node loading the first protocol stack.

25. A computer program product that dynamically loads protocol stacks, comprising:

computer code that sends a message from a first node to a second node to load a first protocol stack;

computer code that receiving the message to load the first protocol stack on the second node;

computer code that determines whether the first protocol stack can be loaded on the second node;

computer code that unloads a second protocol stack on the second node if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded on the second node;

computer code that loads the first protocol stack on the second node; and

a computer readable medium that stores the computer codes.

27. A system, comprising:

a first node that sends a message to a second node to load a first protocol stack; and

the second node that receives the message to load the first protocol stack, determines whether the first protocol stack can be loaded, unloads a second protocol stack if the first protocol stack cannot be initially loaded on the second node, and loads the first protocol stack.