Network filtering system

• US 6,266,700 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karen Neal, Peter D. Baker
• Original Assignee: Karen Neal, Peter D. Baker
• Inventors: Baker, Peter D., Neal, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/113,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/202-203, 709/213-214, 709/223-224, 709/227-230, 709/249-250, 709/220, 370/400-401, 711/100, 711/147-148, 711/170
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/03 Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network interface system and related methods. A single logic control module, which may be implemented in hardware or software, is utilized to perform any of a number of data manipulation functions including, for example, parsing, filtering, data generation or analysis, based upon one or more programmably configurable protocol descriptions which may be stored in and retrieved from an associated memory.

Claims

1. A network filtering system comprising:

means for storing in a first memory a plurality of programmably configurable protocol descriptions, said plurality of programmably configurable protocol descriptions defining one or more filter criteria;

means for storing in a second memory a program for controlling a data filtering function to be executed by a processing unit, said program including instructions for causing said processing unit to selectively retrieve at least one of said plurality of programmably configurable protocol descriptions from said first memory and to vary the execution of said data filtering function based upon said at least one retrieved protocol description;

means for delivering to said processing unit said program for controlling said data filtering function;

means for enabling said processing unit to execute said data filtering function; and

means for delivering to said processing unit said data transmitted over a data communications network.