Method and apparatus for storing interface information in a computer system
First Claim
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1. A node for use in a network, the node comprising:
- a processor; and
storage means coupled to said processor;
said storage means having stored therein an application program and exposed interface data;
said application program containing references to at least one network variable;
said exposed interface data including global data and at least one network variable record;
said global data including buffer information;
said processor communicating values between said storage means and said network;
said processor being configured to buffer values communicated between said network and said node according to buffer parameters contained in said buffer information;
said network variable record includingdata that specifies that said record corresponds to said at least one network variable; and
variable type information including at least one of a service type, a service type flag that indicates whether said service type is configurable, a priority, and a priority flag that indicates whether said priority is configurable; and
said processor being configured to communicate values that correspond to said at least one network variable between said storage means and said network based on said variable type information.
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Abstract
An interface file structure for allowing transfer of information between nodes in a network and a binding process for configuring nodes in the network. The interface offers an advantageous format designed to provide for minimal reading and writing of records while requiring minimal storage space per record. Further, an advantageous format for storing numeric information is disclosed in which information providing the number of buffers allocated and the size of such buffers is stored in a single nibble thus reducing required storage space.
96 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A node for use in a network, the node comprising:
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a processor; and storage means coupled to said processor; said storage means having stored therein an application program and exposed interface data; said application program containing references to at least one network variable; said exposed interface data including global data and at least one network variable record; said global data including buffer information; said processor communicating values between said storage means and said network; said processor being configured to buffer values communicated between said network and said node according to buffer parameters contained in said buffer information; said network variable record including data that specifies that said record corresponds to said at least one network variable; and variable type information including at least one of a service type, a service type flag that indicates whether said service type is configurable, a priority, and a priority flag that indicates whether said priority is configurable; and said processor being configured to communicate values that correspond to said at least one network variable between said storage means and said network based on said variable type information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for configuring a network comprising a plurality of nodes and a network management node coupled over a communication medium, the method comprising the steps of:
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for each node of said plurality of nodes, performing the steps of encoding in four binary bits of data a parameter value that represents a configuration parameter of said node, wherein said configuration parameter may assume one of a set of values in a range from 0 to 255, said set of values having a maximum of 16 values; storing in a storage means within said node said four binary bits of data; transmitting said four binary bits of data from the storage means to said network management node over said communication medium; causing said network management node to determine said parameter value for each node of said plurality of nodes by causing said network management node to apply a formula;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">.sup. n/2 +(n&
1)*2.sup.n/2-1 +xto the four binary bits of data received by the network management node from each node of said plurality of nodes, where n is the decimal value represented by said four binary bits of data, and x is a constant integer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification