Apparatus and method for master election and topology discovery in an Ethernet network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for electing a master unit from a plurality of candidate units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising the steps of:
- transmitting from one of the candidate units a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network;
receiving on the one candidate unit at least one message data packet; and
electing the one candidate unit as the master unit if the one candidate unit receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets.
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Abstract
An apparatus, method and computer memory for electing a master unit from multiple candidate units on a ring or chain topology network is provided. Master proposal data packets are transmitted onto a plurality of stacking links. At least one message data packet is received on the one candidate unit. A candidate unit is elected as the master unit if it receives message data packets corresponding to the transmitted master proposal data packets.
65 Citations
93 Claims
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1. A method for electing a master unit from a plurality of candidate units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting from one of the candidate units a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network; receiving on the one candidate unit at least one message data packet; and electing the one candidate unit as the master unit if the one candidate unit receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A network device on a ring or chain topology network, comprising:
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a packet processor adapted to transmit a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network and to receive at least one message data packet; and a control unit adapted to control the packet processor and to elect the device as a master unit if the packet processor receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for electing a master unit from a plurality of candidate units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising:
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means for transmitting from one of the candidate units a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network; means for receiving on the one candidate unit at least one message data packet; and means for electing the one candidate unit as the master unit if the one candidate unit receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An apparatus for initiating a process for electing a master unit from a plurality of candidate units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising:
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means for receiving on one of the candidate units a message data packet; means for extracting a unit identifier from the message data packet; means for discarding the message data packet if the unit identifier is not equal to an identifier stored on the one candidate unit; means for building a plurality of master proposal data packets including topology information from the one candidate unit and an identifier identifying the one candidate; and means for transmitting onto the network the plurality of master proposal data packets.
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59. A system of stacked units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising:
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a candidate unit adapted to transmit a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network and to receive at least one message data packet, and wherein the candidate unit elects itself as a master unit if it receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A system of stacked units on a ring or chain topology network, comprising:
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means for transmitting a plurality of master proposal data packets onto a plurality of stacking links communicatively coupled to the network; means for receiving at least one message data packet; and means for electing a master unit if the means for transmitting receives a plurality of message data packets corresponding to the plurality of transmitted master proposal data packets. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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Specification