Proxy terminal for network controlling of power managed user terminals in suspend mode

• US 5,915,119 A
• Filed: 10/01/1996
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Cone, Kevin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHARIA, RUPAL
• Application Number:
  US08/724,653
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750.02, 395/750.05, 395/200.38, 395/200.39, 395/200.72, 395/200.79, 395/34, 395/312, 395/200.53, 395/200.57, 370/401, 370/402, 370/397, 370/200.5, 370/200.75, 370/200.8, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A network system comprises a plurality of network segments. Each of the network segments connects a plurality of user terminals that can be set in a suspend mode. When a network segment is connected to the network system via a router, it is possible that the network address of a user terminal is deleted from the routing table in the router during an aging process. In this situation, the user terminal is not accessible in the suspend mode via the router. To solve this problem, a proxy terminal is connected to a network segment to receive requests from the router for the user terminals connected to that network segment. In response to a request from the router to a destined user terminal located in that network segment, the proxy terminal wakes up the destined user terminal, thus restoring the access to the destined user terminal.

Claims

1. For use with a network having a router that includes a routing table for storing a plurality of network addresses, an apparatus for bringing a plurality of user terminals connected to said network out of a suspend mode, comprising:

a storage area capable of storing network addresses for the plurality of user terminals;

a transmitter logic capable of transmitting command packets to said plurality of user terminals;

a receiver logic capable of (i) causing a first network address for one user terminal of the plurality of user terminals to be stored in said storage area in response to receiving from said router an address request packet directed to said one user terminal, (ii) causing a second network address for said one user terminal to be stored in said storage area in response to receiving an address response packet from said one user terminal, and (iii) receiving, after said router has removed said second network address for said one user terminal from said routing table, a management request packet to bring said one user terminal out of the suspend mode; and

a processor logic capable (i) obtaining said second network address from said storage area in response to said receiver logic receiving said management request packet, (ii) generating, based upon said second network address obtained from said storage area, a command packet to bring said one user terminal out of the suspend mode, and (iii) causing said transmitter logic to transfer said command packet to said first user terminal via said network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said processor logic is further capable of (iv) generating said command packet such that said command packet includes a unique pattern to which said one user terminal is responsive when said one user terminal is in the suspend mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said receiver logic is further capable of (iv) receiving said first network address assigned to said one user terminal via said management request packet, and

said processor logic is further capable of (iv) obtaining said second network address from said storage area based upon said first network address received via said management request packet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said receiver logic is further capable of (iv) receiving a logical network address for said one user terminal via said address request packet, (v) receiving a physical network address for said one user terminal via said address response packet, (vi) causing said logical network address to be stored in said storage area as said first network address, and (vii) causing said physical network address to be stored in said storage area as said second network address.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

said receiver logic is further capable of (viii) receiving said logical network address for said one user terminal via said management request packet, and

said processor logic is further capable of (iv) obtaining said physical network address from said storage area based upon said logical network address received via said management request packet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said network comprises a network segment,

the plurality of user terminals are connected to said network segments,

said receiving logic is coupled to said network segment, and

said processor logic is further capable of (iv) discarding said management request packet if said management request packet is not directed to said network segment.

7. A system comprising:

a first routing device, connected to a network, for connecting a plurality of user terminals to said network, each of said user terminals having a network address, said user terminals can be set in a suspend mode, said first routing device having a routing table containing network addresses for said user terminals, said routing table in said first routing device being updated so that some of said network addresses can be deleted from said routing table in said first routing device while said user terminals are connected to said network; and

a second routing device having a routing table containing network addresses for said user terminals, said routing table in said second routing device maintaining all of said network addresses while said user terminals are connected to said network, wherein

said first routing device further comprises a transmitter logic capable of sending a request to bring one of said user terminals out of said suspend mode; and

said second routing device further comprises a processor logic capable of, in response to said request, generating a command to bring said one user terminal out of said suspend mode.

8. The system of claim 7, said command being a packet having a unique pattern.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said network is a network segment, and wherein both said second routing device and the plurality of user terminals are coupled to said network segment.

10. For use with a network having a router that includes a routing table for storing a plurality of physical network addresses for a plurality of network devices, an apparatus, connected to said network, for bringing said plurality of network devices out of a suspend mode, comprising:

a storage area capable of storing logical network addresses and corresponding physical network addresses for the plurality of network devices;

a transmitter logic capable of transmitting command packets to said plurality of network devices;

a receiver logic capable of (i) receiving an address request packet from said router that includes a logical network address for a first network device of said plurality of network devices, (ii) receiving an address response packet from said first network device that includes a physical network address for said first network device and said logical network address for said first network device, (iii) causing said physical network address to be stored in said storage area such that said physical network address for said first network device may be obtained from said logical network address for said network device, and (iv) receiving, after said router has removed said physical network address for said first network device from said routing table, a management request packet that includes said logical network address for said first network device and a command to bring said network device out of said suspend mode; and

a processor logic capable of (i) obtaining said physical network address for said first network device from said storage area in response to receiving said logical network address for said first network device via said management request packet, (ii) generating a command packet to bring said first network device out of said suspend mode that includes said physical network address for said first network device, and (iii) causing said transmitter logic to transfer said command packet to said first network device via said network in order to bring said first network device out of said suspend mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

said receiver logic is further capable of (iv) being set to a promiscuous mode which configures the receiver logic to receive said management request packet regardless of said logical network address in said management request packet.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

said network comprises a network segment,

the plurality of network devices are connected to said network segments,

said receiving logic is coupled to said network segment, and

said processor logic is further capable of (iv) discarding said management request packet if said logical network address of said management request packet indicates that said management request packet is not directed to said network segment.

13. A method for bringing a plurality of network devices connected to a network out of a suspend mode, comprising the steps of:

a) storing a plurality of logical network addresses for said plurality of network devices and a plurality of corresponding physical network addresses for said plurality of network devices in a first routing device coupled to said network;

b) storing said plurality of logical network addresses for said plurality of network devices and said plurality of corresponding physical network addresses for said plurality of network devices in a second routing device coupled to said network;

c) removing a first physical network address for a first network device of said plurality of network devices from said first routing device;

d) receiving from said first routing device with said second routing device after step c), a request to bring said first network device out of the suspend mode, said request including a first logical network address for said first network device; and

e) in response to receiving said request,

e1) obtaining said first physical network address for said first network device from said second routing device in response to receiving said first logical network address for said first network device via said request,

e2) generating a command packet to bring said first network device out of said suspend mode that includes said first physical network address for said first network device, and

e3) transferring said command packet to said first network device via said network in order to bring said first network device out of said suspend mode.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

f) transferring a plurality of address request packets from said first routing device to said plurality of network devices, each address request packet of said plurality of address request packets including a logical network address for a network device of said plurality of network devices; and

g) transferring a plurality of address response packets from said plurality of network devices to said first routing device and said second routing device, each address response packet of said plurality of address response packets including a logical network address and a corresponding physical network address for a network device of said plurality of network devices,

wherein steps a) and b) store said plurality of logical network addresses and said plurality of corresponding physical network addresses in response to steps f) and g).

15. The method of claim 13, wherein step b) further comprises the step of:

b1) determining that a logical network address corresponds to a network segment to which said second routing device is coupled prior to storing said logical network address and corresponding physical network address in said second routing device.