Packet format in hub for packet data communications system
DCFirst Claim
1. A packet data communications network comprising:
- a first network segment having a plurality of stations, one of said stations sending a message packet onto said first network segment of a first format;
said first format including a first header and a data field with network destination address in said communications network;
a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment to receive said message packet and having an output;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header further including local status information and a plurality of status fields to indicate a message packet servicing;
a switching device having a plurality of ports, a first of said ports being connected to said output of said first network transfer device;
the switching device receiving said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a second port as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and the plurality of status fields;
a second network transfer device having an input connected to said second of said ports of said switching device and having an output connected to a second network segment, the second network transfer device receiving said message packet via said switching device to forward to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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Abstract
A packet data communication network employs a local switch, router or bridge device functioning to transfer packets between segments of a larger network. When packets enter this device, an address translation is performed to generate local source and destination addresses which are much shorter than the globally-unique addresses contained in the packet as dictated by the protocol. These local addresses are inserted in a header that is added to the packet, in addition to any header already contained in the packet. This added header travels with the packet through the local switch, router or bridge device, but then is stripped off before the packet is sent out onto another network segment. The added header may also contain other information, such as a local name for the source and destination segment (link), as well as status information that is locally useful, but not part of the packet protocol and not necessary for transmission with the packet throughout the network. Local congestion information, results of address translations, and end-of-message information, are examples of such status information.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A packet data communications network comprising:
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a first network segment having a plurality of stations, one of said stations sending a message packet onto said first network segment of a first format;
said first format including a first header and a data field with network destination address in said communications network;a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment to receive said message packet and having an output;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header further including local status information and a plurality of status fields to indicate a message packet servicing;a switching device having a plurality of ports, a first of said ports being connected to said output of said first network transfer device;
the switching device receiving said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a second port as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and the plurality of status fields;a second network transfer device having an input connected to said second of said ports of said switching device and having an output connected to a second network segment, the second network transfer device receiving said message packet via said switching device to forward to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a packet data communications network, the network including a first network segment having a plurality of stations and a second network segment having a plurality of stations, and including a switching device interconnecting said first and second segments, comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said stations of said first network segment a message packet of a first format onto said first network segment;
said first format including a first header and a data field with a network destination address in said communications network;receiving said message packet at a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header further including local status information and a plurality of status fields to indicate a message packet servicing;receiving at said switching device said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a port of said switching device as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and the plurality of status fields; receiving said message packet at said second network transfer device via said switching device and forwarding said message packet to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A packet data communications network comprising:
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a first network segment having a plurality of stations, one of said stations sending a message packet onto said first network segment of a first format;
said first format including a first header and a data field with network destination address in said communications network;a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment to receive said message packet and having an output;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a service class field;a switching device having a plurality of ports, a first of said ports being connected to said output of said first network transfer device;
the switching device receiving said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a second port as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said service class field;a second network transfer device having an input connected to said second of said ports of said switching device and having an output connected to a second network segment, the second network transfer device receiving said message packet via said switching device to forward to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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20. A packet data communications network comprising:
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a first network segment having a plurality of stations, one of said stations sending a message packet onto said first network segment of a first format;
said first format including a first header and a data field with network destination address in said communications network;a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment to receive said message packet and having an output;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a protocol class field;a switching device having a plurality of ports, a first of said ports being connected to said output of said first network transfer device;
the switching device receiving said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a second port as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said protocol class field;a second network transfer device having an input connected to said second of said ports of said switching device and having an output connected to a second network segment, the second network transfer device receiving said message packet via said switching device to forward to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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21. A packet data communications network comprising:
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a first network segment having a plurality of stations, one of said stations sending a message packet onto said first network segment of a first format;
said first format including a first header and a data field with network destination address in said communications network;a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment to receive said message packet and having an output;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a local congestion status field;a switching device having a plurality of ports, a first of said ports being connected to said output of said first network transfer device;
the switching device receiving said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a second port as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said local congestion status field;a second network transfer device having an input connected to said second of said ports of said switching device and having an output connected to a second network segment, the second network transfer device receiving said message packet via said switching device to forward to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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22. A method of operating a packet data communications network, the network including a first network segment having a plurality of stations and a second network segment having a plurality of stations, and including a switching device interconnecting said first and second segments, comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said stations of said first network segment a message packet of a first format onto said first network segment;
said first format including a first header and a data field with a network destination address in said communications network;receiving said message packet at a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a service class field;receiving at said switching device said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a port of said switching device as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said service class field; receiving said message packet at said second network transfer device via said switching device and forwarding said message packet to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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23. A method of operating a packet data communications network, the network including a first network segment having a plurality of stations and a second network segment having a plurality of stations, and including a switching device interconnecting said first and second segments, comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said stations of said first network segment a message packet of a first format onto said first network segment;
said first format including a first header and a data field with a network destination address in said communications network;receiving said message packet at a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a protocol class field;receiving at said switching device said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a port of said switching device as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said protocol class field; receiving said message packet at said second network transfer device via said switching device and forwarding said message packet to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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24. A method of operating a packet data communications network, the network including a first network segment having a plurality of stations and a second network segment having a plurality of stations, and including a switching device interconnecting said first and second segments, comprising the steps of:
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sending from one of said stations of said first network segment a message packet of a first format onto said first network segment;
said first format including a first header and a data field with a network destination address in said communications network;receiving said message packet at a first network transfer device having an input connected to said first network segment;
the first network transfer device applying a second header to said message packet, said second header including a switching address translated from said destination address, said second header including local status information and a local congestion status field;receiving at said switching device said message packet with said second header and sending said message packet with said second header to a port of said switching device as selected by said switching address, and in response to said local status information and said local congestion field; receiving said message packet at said second network transfer device via said switching device and forwarding said message packet to said second network segment;
the second network transfer device removing said second header from said message packet.
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Specification