Logical topology and address assignment for interconnected digital networks

• US 6,442,171 B1
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutton, Todd R., Lee, Kuo-Chun, Ziv, Noam A., Mohanty, Bibhu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US09/085,116
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/255, 370/256, 370/312, 370/389, 370/390, 370/392, 370/393, 370/401, 370/408, 370/320, 370/335, 370/342, 370/441
• US Class Current: 370/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/488 using root node determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery

Abstract

A method of designing a network results in a network with an efficient addressing scheme which allows for filters to perform a simple logical operation. The process begins by arranging a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of bi-directional links in a tree topology. Each node is assigned a range of consecutive flow process addresses such that each packet carried in a first direction on one of the bi-directional links has an address within the range A<X<B and each packet carried in a second direction on the same bi-directional link has an address within the range {overscore (A<X<B)}.

Claims

1. A network of nodes comprising:

a root node;

a second node directly coupled to the root node, the second node having an address;

a plurality of nodes directly coupled to the second node, each of the plurality of nodes having an address; and

an address filter coupled to the root node, the address filter being associated with at least one filter range and allowing transmission of a data packet from the root node to the second node only if the data packet is addressed to a node having an address that lies within one of the filter ranges, each filter range being defined by a high range limit and a low range limit, the only restriction on the values of the high and low range limits being that the high range limit is not lower than the low range limit.

2. The network of claim 1 further comprising a second address filter coupled to the second node, the address filter being associated with at least one filter range and allowing transmission of a data packet from the second node to the root node only if the data packet is not addressed to a node having an address that lies within one of the filter ranges.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein each node of said plurality of nodes is assigned an address block comprised of a set of consecutive address values of an arbitrary size.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein said root node, said second node and each node of said plurality of nodes is comprised of a distribution/consolidation unit.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein said root node, said second node and each of said plurality of nodes comprise a cellular land network.

6. The network of claim 5 wherein said data packet comprises a frame of voice data.

7. A network arranged in a tree configuration comprising:

a first node associated with a first block of address values;

a first address filter for coupling a data packet from the first node to a first set of nodes when an address of the data packet is within a contiguous range of addresses defined by a first high range limit and a first low range limit, the first set of nodes comprising at least one node and only a first one of the first set of nodes is directly coupled to the first node through the first address filter and the first address filter couples the data packet to the first set of nodes if the address of the data packet is not greater than a high range limit and is not lower than a low range limit; and

a second address filter for coupling packets from the first node to a second set of nodes when an address of the data packet is within a contiguous range of addresses defined by a second high range limit and a second low range limit, the second set of nodes comprising at least one node, only a first one of the second set of nodes being directly coupled to the first node through the second address filter, the second address filter coupling the data packet to the second set of nodes.

8. The network of claim 7 wherein said first set of nodes is an asymmetrical tree network.