METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING A COMMUNICATION PROBLEM IN A COMPUTER NETWORK
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer in a network runs a verification procedure in which it sends data packets to another computer in the network. Some or all of the data packets contain, either individually or collectively, a secret piece of information, such as a secret code. The computer then makes a determination regarding the network links between it and the other computer. If, for example, the other computer is able to respond by providing the secret piece of information back, then the computer sending the data packets concludes that the devices along the network links en route to the other computer are properly forwarding data packets.
50 Citations
52 Claims
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1-31. -31. (canceled)
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32. A method for verifying a network link, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a receiving computer, a plurality of data packets from a sending computer over the network link, the network link including at least one other computer, at least some of the plurality of data packets being forwarded by the other computer to the receiving computer; reconstructing, a secret piece of information using the plurality of received data packets, the secret piece of information being distributed among the plurality of data packets; and transmitting the secret piece of information back to the sending computer, thereby verifying to the sending computer that the other computer is properly forwarding data packets to the receiving computer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37-43. -43. (canceled)
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44. A method for verifying a network link, comprising:
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sending a plurality of data packets from a sending computer over the network link, the network link including at least one other computer, at least some of the plurality of data packets being forwarded by the other computer to a receiving computer, a secret piece of information being distributed among the plurality of data packets; and the sending computer receiving from the sending computer the secret piece of information, reconstructed by the receiving computer, thereby verifying to the sending computer that the other computer is properly forwarding data packets to the receiving computer. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for verifying a network link, comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of data packets containing a secret piece of information from a sending computer over the network link to a receiving computer, the network link including at least one other computer, at least some of the plurality of data packets being forwarded by the other computer to the receiving computer; the receiving computer reconstructing the secret piece of information using the plurality of received data packets, the secret piece of information being distributed among the plurality of data packets; the receiving computer transmitting the reconstructed secret piece of information back to the sending computer; and the sending computer verifying that the other computer is properly forwarding data packets to the receiving computer based on the secret piece of information received from the sending computer. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification