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Method and apparatus for adaptively determining the format of data packets carried on a local area network

  • US 5,696,899 A
  • Filed: 11/18/1992
  • Issued: 12/09/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of determining which of plural predetermined frame formats is being used to exchange frame packets between LAN devices over a physical communications medium, the method comprising the following steps which are all performed in the same LAN device:

  • downloading a LAN communication module which includes a software protocol stack having a link support layer, the link support layer being configurable to bind to any of the plural predetermined frame formats;

    automatically configuring the link support layer to bind simultaneously to all of the plural predetermined frame formats;

    monitoring the LAN physical communications medium to capture broadcast traffic;

    decoding the captured broadcast traffic into plural data groups, one data group being provided for each of the plural predetermined frame formats such that each data group corresponds to a respective one of the plural predetermined frame formats;

    prescanning each data group for the presence of a predetermined header; and

    storing a frame format that corresponds to the data group having the predetermined header.

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