Methods and apparatus for providing and obtaining resource usage information
First Claim
1. In a computer, a method for obtaining resource usage information from a node of a network, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
sending the data element to the node of the network; and
receiving a signal from the node of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element and has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to techniques for providing and obtaining, from a network node (e.g., a router, bridge, hub, switch, etc.), resource usage information describing usage of resources within the network node. In one arrangement, a system includes a source computer which provides a data element, and a network node coupled to the source computer. The network node forms at least a portion of a network with the source computer. The network node is configured to receive the data element from the source computer, determine that the data element is stale based on a parameter within the data element, remove the data element from the network and send a signal to the source computer. The signal includes (i) an indication that the network node has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources within the network node.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. In a computer, a method for obtaining resource usage information from a node of a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
sending the data element to the node of the network; and
receiving a signal from the node of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element and has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 25, 32, 33, 37, 43)
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5. An apparatus for obtaining resource usage information from a node of a network, comprising:
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a network interface for connecting to the network; and
a controller coupled to the network interface, the controller being configured to;
generate a data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element, send the data element to the node of the network through the network interface, and receive a signal from the node of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element and has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 26, 34, 35)
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9. A computer program product that includes a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for obtaining resource usage information from a node of a network, such that the instructions, when carried out by the computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of:
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generating a data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
sending the data element to the node of the network; and
receiving a signal from the node of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element and has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 27)
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11. In a node of a network, a method for providing resource usage information, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a data element from a source computer of the network, the data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
determining that the data element is stale in response to the time value for the time parameter of the data element;
internally processing the data element as a non-stale data element in response to the type value for the type parameter of the data element; and
removing the date element from the network and sending a signal to the source computer of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 28, 36)
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15. A network node for providing resource usage information, comprising:
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a network interface for connecting to a network;
a controller coupled to the network interface, the controller being configured to;
receive a data element from a source computer of the network through the network interface, the data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
determine that the data element is stale in response to the time value for the time parameter of the data element;
internally process the data element as a non-stale data element in response to the type value for the type parameter of the data element; and
remove the data element from the network and send a signal to the source computer of the network through the network interface, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 29, 38, 39)
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19. A computer program product that includes a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for providing resource usage information, such that the instructions, when carried out by a computerized device, cause the computerized device to perform the steps of:
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receiving a data element from a source computer of the network, the data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter that causes the computerized device to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter that causes the computerized device to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the computerized device when the computerized device processes the data element;
determining that the data element is stale in response to the time value of the time parameter of the data element;
internally processing the data element as a non-stale data element in response to the type value for the type parameter of the data element; and
removing the data element from the network and sending a signal to the source computer of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the computerized device has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources within the computerized device when the computerized device internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (20, 30)
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21. A system for obtaining resource usage information, comprising:
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a source computer which provides a data element; and
a network node, coupled to the source computer, which forms at least a portion of a network with the source computer, the network node being configured to;
receive the data element from the source computer, the data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
determine that the data element is stale in response to the time value for the time parameter of the data element;
internally process the data element as a non-stale data element in response to the type value for the type parameter of the data element; and
remove the data element from the network and send a signal to the source computer, the signal including (i) an indication that the network node has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the network node when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 31, 40)
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41. An apparatus for obtaining resource usage information from a node of a network, comprising:
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a network interface for connecting to the network; and
a controller coupled to the network interface, the controller having;
generating means for generating a data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter within the data element that will cause the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element, sending means for sending the data element to the node of the network through the network interface, and receiving means for receiving a signal from the node of the network, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element and has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element.
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42. A network node for providing resource usage information, comprising:
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a network interface for connecting to a network;
a controller coupled to the network interface, the controller having;
receiving means for receiving a data element from a source computer of the network through the network interface, the data element having (i) a type value for a type parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is be internally processed as a non-stale data element rather than a stale data element, and (ii) a time value for a time parameter that causes the node of the network to determine that the data element is stale to prevent subsequent transmission of the data element from the node of the network when the node of the network processes the data element;
determining means for determining that the data element is stale in response to the time value for the time parameter of the data element; and
processing means for internally processing the data element as a non-stale data element in response to the type value for the type parameter of the data element, removing the data element from the network and sending a signal to the source computer of the network through the network interface, the signal including (i) an indication that the node of the network has removed the data element from the network, and (ii) resource usage information describing usage of resources by the node of the network when the node of the network internally processed the data element as a non-stale data element.
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Specification