EP0255767A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Selective broadcasting arrangement for local area networks
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1987-07-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-07-22
Abstract
Abstract In a Local Area Network (LAN) comprising a plurality of stations having associated ports where each port has a unique address, an arrangement for providing selective broadcasting to a subset of the plurality of stations is disclosed. A transmitting one of the stations designates the subset by specifying two or more receiving stations. Thereafter, the transmitting station generates a single data message having a single specified address of only one member of the subset. A packet switch controller defines a mask that identifies which stations are included in the subset. The packet switch controller provides the appropriate mask to the transmitting station which then transmits a data packet comprising a data message, the specified address and the appropriate mask to the LAN. Each port decodes the transmitted specified address and the mask to determine if the transmitted message is intended for its associated station as a member of the subset.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Rechtman Braun
- 👤 Andrew Dejongh Franklin
- 👤 Gerard Joseph Pepenella
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/06; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1886; H04L12/54; H04L12/56
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
In a Local Area Network (LAN) having a selective broadcasting arrangement for transmitting messages to a subset of a plurality of stations (100-103) of said LAN wherein each of said stations (100-103) has a unique address, said arrangement comprising: means (108, 224) responsive to a transmitting one (103) of said stations requesting a selective broadcast for generating a mask with a unique address to form an effective address generic to each member of said subset of stations; means (220-223) for transmitting said effective generic address together with an associated data message from said transmitting station (103) to said plurality of stations (100-103); and means (202-204) at each of sad plurality of stations (100-103) for translating said effective generic address to determine if said associated data message is intended for said station as a member of said subset.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
In a Local Area Network (LAN) having a selective broadcasting arrangement for transmitting messages to a subset of a plurality of stations (100-103) of said LAN wherein each of said stations (100-103) has a unique address, said arrangement comprising: means (108, 224) responsive to a transmitting one (103) of said stations requesting a selective broadcast for generating a mask with a unique address to form an effective address generic to each member of said subset of stations; means (220-223) for transmitting said effective generic address together with an associated data message from said transmitting station (103) to said plurality of stations (100-103); and means (202-204) at each of sad plurality of stations (100-103) for translating said effective generic address to determine if said associated data message is intended for said station as a member of said subset.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said arrangement further comprises: means (224) for generating said unique address associated with a single member of said subset; means (103) for specifying each unique address for each member of said subset; means (108) for selecting said mask based on each said specified unique address and said generated unique address; and means (108) for identifying a portion of said generated unique address which corresponds to a like portion of each specified unique address for each member of said subset to form said effective generic address.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said arrangement further comprises: means (200) for receiving said effective generic address at said plurality of stations; means (204) for concurrently providing an associated unique address at each one of said plurality of stations; and means (203) for comparing said effective generic address with said provided associated unique address of each one of said plurality of stations to determine an occurrence of a match.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said arrangement further comprises: means (205) for enabling a transmission of said associated data message to each of said stations as members of said subset when said effective generic address matches said like portion of said provided associated unique address following said comparison.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a Local Area Network (LAN), a method for disseminating data messages to a subset (100-101) of a plurality of receiving stations (100-103) wherein each station (100-102) has a unique address, said method comprises the steps of: providing in a transmitting one (103) of said stations a mask together with a unique address to form an effective address generic to each member of said subset (100-101) of stations; transmitting said effective generic address together with an associated data message from said transmitting station (103) to said plurality of stations (100-103); and translating said effective generic address to determine if said associated data message is intended for each station (100-103) as a member of said subset (100-101).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a Local Area Network (LAN), a method for disseminating data messages to a subset (100-101) of a plurality of receiving stations (100-103) wherein each station (100-102) has a unique address, said method comprises the steps of: providing in a transmitting one (103) of said stations a mask together with a unique address to form an effective address generic to each member of said subset (100-101) of stations; transmitting said effective generic address together with an associated data message from said transmitting station (103) to said plurality of stations (100-103); and translating said effective generic address to determine if said associated data message is intended for each station (100-103) as a member of said subset (100-101).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said method further comprises the steps of: providing said unique address associated with a prescribed member (100) of said subset; specifying each unique address for each member of said subset (100-101); selecting said mask based on each said specified address for each member of said subset (100-101) and said provided unique address; and identifying a portion of said provided unique address which corresponds to a like portion of each specified unique address for each member of said subset (100-101) to form said effective generic address.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said method further comprises the steps of: receiving said effective generic address at said plurality of stations (100-103); concurrently, providing an assigned address of each one of said plurality of stations (100-103); and comparing said effective generic address with said provided assigned unique address of each one of said plurality of stations (100-103) to determine an occurrence of a match.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said method further comprises the steps of: enabling a transmission of said associated data message to each of said stations (100-103) as members of said subset (100-101) when said effective generic address matches said like portion of each provided assigned unique address of one of said plurality of stations (100-103) following said comparison.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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