Method and apparatus for neighborhood discovery across disparate point-to-point networks
First Claim
1. A network, comprising:
- first and second layer B network nodes communicating with each other via a communications path;
a first layer A network node communicating with a second layer A network node, each layer A network node communicating locally with respective layer B network nodes using different link layer protocols; and
first and second discovery units, exchange units, and reporting units configured to operate in connection with respective first and second layer B network nodes to determine respective unique identifiers associated with the layer A network nodes, to exchange the unique identifiers with each other, and to provide the unique identifier of the distal layer A network node to the respective local layer A network nodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method or apparatus in an exemplary embodiment supports first and second layer network nodes that may be configured to communicate with each other via a communications path. In embodiments a first network node communicates via a second network node across a layer 2 network to send data. The first network node is typically on a different link layer protocol than the second network node receiving the data. Thus, the first and second layer network nodes, having different link layer protocols, may communicate with each other. Accordingly, through use of embodiments of this invention, Neighbor Discovery (ND) is possible in a network, such as an IPv6 network, that has protocols incompatible with each other.
37 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A network, comprising:
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first and second layer B network nodes communicating with each other via a communications path; a first layer A network node communicating with a second layer A network node, each layer A network node communicating locally with respective layer B network nodes using different link layer protocols; and first and second discovery units, exchange units, and reporting units configured to operate in connection with respective first and second layer B network nodes to determine respective unique identifiers associated with the layer A network nodes, to exchange the unique identifiers with each other, and to provide the unique identifier of the distal layer A network node to the respective local layer A network nodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for communicating between network nodes, comprising:
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communicating with a first layer B network node from a second layer B network node; communicating with a first layer A network node from a second layer A network node, each layer A network node communicating locally with respective layer B network nodes using different link layer protocols; determining respective unique identifiers associated with the layer A network nodes; exchanging the unique identifiers; and providing the unique identifier of the distal layer A network node to the respective local layer A network node. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network node, comprising:
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a discovery unit to determine unique identifiers associated with a local layer A network node; an exchange unit to exchange the unique identifier with an exchange unit in a layer B network node; and a reporting unit configured to provide a unique identifier of a distal layer A network node received from the exchange unit in the layer B network node.
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Specification