Synchronizing local network

• US 20040081147A1
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Saksio, Mauri, Liuhto, Anssi
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/386
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0697 Synchronisation in a packet node
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling

Abstract

The present invention concerns a system for transmitting internal messages in a synchronizing local network. The system comprises multiple computer units for running application processes. The system further comprises multiple interface units, each for transmitting an internal message from a sending computer unit to several receiving computer units. According to the invention, the system further comprises multiple external links, each for linking a computer unit to an interface unit. The system further comprises an interconnecting device for receiving messages from sending computer units and forwarding them to receiving computer units one sent message at a time.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting internal messages in a local network while maintaining message synchronism, comprising:

multiple sending computer units (CPUs), each for running at least one sending application process for sending an internal message, said message being sent to two or more recipients, and

multiple receiving computer units (CPUr), each for running at least one receiving application process for receiving a sent internal message, at least two copies of each receiving application process residing in said receiving computer units,

characterized in, that the system further comprises;

one interface unit (IF) per one or more computer units for buffering and relaying messages sent to and from the corresponding computer units,

multiple external links (SrL), each for linking a computer unit to its corresponding interface unit, and

an internal interconnecting device (IxD) for receiving messages relayed by the interface units corresponding to the sending computer units, and for forwarding each received message to the interface units corresponding to the respective receiving computer units one received message at a time, said interconnecting device internally coupled with the interface units.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that each interface unit further comprises:

a transmitting buffer (TX) for storing one or more message to be sent until processed by the interconnecting device, and

a receiving buffer (RX) for storing one or more received messages until processed by the corresponding computer unit.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that messages are sent as multicasts by the sending application process.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that messages sent and received by application processes running in the same computer unit are routed via the interconnecting device.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnecting device is an internal bus.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnecting device is a crossbar.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the interconnecting device and the interface units coupled to it are implemented as a modified LAN switch.

8. A system for transmitting internal messages in a local network while maintaining message synchronism, comprising:

multiple sending computer units (CPUs), each for running at least one sending application process for sending an internal message, said message being sent to two or more recipients using group addressing, and

multiple receiving computer units (CPUr), each for running at least one receiving application process for receiving a sent internal message, at least two copies of each receiving application process residing in said receiving computer units,

characterized in, that the system further comprises;

multiple multiplexer units (MUX), each for collecting messages from and distributing messages to one or more sending computer units,

one interface unit (IF) per one or more multiplexer units for buffering and relaying messages sent to and from the corresponding multiplexer units, and

an internal interconnecting device (IxD) for receiving messages relayed by the interface units corresponding to the sending computer units, and for forwarding each received message to the interface units corresponding to the respective receiving computer units one received message at a time, said interconnecting device internally coupled with the interface units.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that each interface unit further comprises:

a transmitting buffer (TX) for storing one or more message to be sent until processed by the interconnecting device, and

a receiving buffer (RX) for storing one or more received messages until processed by the corresponding multiplexer unit.

10. The system according to claim 8 characterized in that messages are sent as multicasts by the sending application process.

11. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that messages sent and received by application processes running in the same computer unit are routed via the interconnecting device.

12. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the interconnecting device is an internal bus.

13. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the interconnecting device is a crossbar.

14. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that the interconnecting device, the interface units coupled to it and the multiplexer units are implemented as modified LAN switches.

15. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that a multiplexer unit is connected to an interface unit via another multiplexer unit.