Self-configuring data communication system and method
First Claim
1. A controller for a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, comprising:
- means for connecting each station to one of the networks;
means for determining a communication history for selected ones of the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated, the communication history corresponding to a series of packets, each packet having a source address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination address of a station receiving the packet;
means, responsive to said communication history, for evaluating alternative configurations of stations to obtain a best alternative configuration; and
,means, responsive to said means for evaluating alternative configurations, for setting the connecting means to connect each of the stations to a selected network, wherein stations with most communication among themselves tend to be assigned to a common network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controller for a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station is disclosed. A plurality of stations may be assigned to a group. A communication history for the stations is determined, where the history corresponds to the messages communicated. The stations are connected into a common network in accordance with the communication history. The communication history corrresponds to a series of packets and is based on a source address and a destination address of each of the packets. A station may have a matrix, the matrix having rows indexed by source system address and columns indexed by destination system address, for storing a value indicating a quantity of information transferred from each station to each other station.
23 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A controller for a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, comprising:
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means for connecting each station to one of the networks; means for determining a communication history for selected ones of the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated, the communication history corresponding to a series of packets, each packet having a source address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination address of a station receiving the packet; means, responsive to said communication history, for evaluating alternative configurations of stations to obtain a best alternative configuration; and
,means, responsive to said means for evaluating alternative configurations, for setting the connecting means to connect each of the stations to a selected network, wherein stations with most communication among themselves tend to be assigned to a common network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A controller for a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, comprising:
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means for connecting each station to one of the networks; means for determining a communication history for the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated, the communication history corresponding to a series of packets, each packet having a source system address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination system address of a station receiving the packet, the determining means includes a matrix, the matrix having rows indexed by source system address and columns indexed by destination system address, for storing a value indicating a quantity of information transferred from each station to each other station; means for updating the matrix when a packet occurs; and
,means for setting the connecting means to connect each of the stations to one network in accordance with the communication history, wherein stations with most communication among themselves tend to be assigned to a common network.
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8. A controller for a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, comprising:
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means for connecting each station to one of the networks; means for determining a communication history for the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated, the communication history corresponding to a series of packets, each packet having a source system address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination system address of a station receiving the packet; means for setting the connecting means to connect each of the stations to one network in accordance with the communication history, wherein stations with most communication among themselves tend to be assigned to a common network; a port for each station, and the setting means includes means for receiving a port number and system address for a station sending a packet; means for associating the port number with the system address for the station sending the packet; and means, responsive to the associating means, for setting the port.
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9. A method of controlling a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, each station having a system address, comprising the steps, performed by the communication system, of:
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connecting each station to one of the networks, in accordance with a control signal; determining a communication history for the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated including the substep of monitoring the messages sent on the networks, the communication history corresponds to a series of packets, each packet having a source system address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination system address of a station receiving the packet; evaluating alternative configurations of stations in response to said communication history; and
,generating the control signal to connect each of the stations to a selected network in accordance with the evaluating alternative configurations of stations, wherein the control signal tends to assign stations with the most communication among themselves to a common network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, each station having a system address, comprising the steps, performed by the communication system, of:
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connecting each station to one of the networks, in accordance with a control signal; determining a communication history for the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated including the substep of monitoring the messages sent on the networks, the communication history corresponds to a series of packets, each packet having a source system address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination system address of a station receiving the packet; and generating the control signal to connect each of the stations to one network in accordance with the communication history, wherein the control signal tends to assign stations with the most communication among themselves to a common network; and
,updating, by said determining step a matrix when a packet occurs, the matrix having rows indexed by source system address and columns indexed by destination system address, for storing a value indicating a quantity of information transferred from each station to each other station.
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16. A method of controlling a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, each station having a system address, comprising the steps, performed by the communication system, of:
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connecting each station to one of the networks, in accordance with a control signal; determining a communication history for the plurality of stations corresponding to the messages communicated including the substep of monitoring the messages sent on the networks, the communication history corresponds to a series of packets, each packet having a source system address of a station transmitting the packet and a destination system address of a station receiving the packet; and generating the control signal to connect each of the stations to one network in accordance with the communication history, wherein the control signal tends to assign stations with the most communication among themselves to a common network; and
,receiving a port number, where said communication system includes a port for each station, and a system address for a station sending a packet; associating the port number with the system address for the station sending the packet; and setting, responsive to the associating step, the station sending a packet for connection to the one network.
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17. In a communication system having a plurality of networks and a plurality of stations communicating with each other by sending messages from a source station to a destination station, a method of distributing stations among networks, comprising the steps of:
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assigning the stations to a set of groups of stations such that each station is assigned to at least one group, including the substep of determining initial sets of stations;
each set including a destination station receiving from multiple source stations, and the corresponding multiple source stations;computing a cost for message traffic, where the cost is computed in response to message traffic between pairs of stations; processing a group in the set of groups including the substeps, performed for each network, of assigning all stations of the-group onto a network if a lower cost, responsive to the computing a cost, would result; and reassigning those stations of the group that are common to multiple groups among the networks if a lower cost would result. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification