EP0333615A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of establishing transmission group numbers for network links
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-01-31
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-01-31
Abstract
Abstract A method is disclosed for allowing two nodes (12, 14) in a communications network to dynamically establish the transmission group number used to partially identify a given link (18) between the nodes. When the link is being activated, both nodes simultanesouly propose either a zero or a non-zero number to each other in an exchange of exchange identification (XID) messages. If only one of the nodes proposed a non-zero number, that non-zero number is selected as the transmission group number. If both nodes had proposed zero or both had proposed non-zero numbers, predetermined criteria are employed to select a controlling node. The controlling node chooses the final transmission group number and communicates that choice to the non-controlling node.
Inventors
- 👤 James Peyton Gray
- 👤 Jeffrey Gale Knauth
- 👤 Diane Phylis Pozefsky
- 👤 Lee Mark Rafalow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
Method of establishing transmission group numbers in a communications network wherein selected pairs of nodes may be selectively connected by transmission groups, each transmission group being uniquely identified as a function of the names of the paired nodes in combination with an assigned transmission group number; said method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of: sending an exchange identification message to the remote node, said message including a proposed non-zero transmission group number if one had been previously determined at the sending node or a zero transmission group number if no non-zero transmission group number had been previously determined, determining the value of the transmission group number contained in the exchange identification message received from the remote node, setting the final transmission group number qual to the proposed non-zero transmission group number sent by one of the paired nodes where the other of the nodes originally sent a zero transmission group number, comparing the relative significance of the node names according to predetermined criteria where both nodes send either zero transmission group numbers or proposed non-zero transmission group numbers, selecting the node having the more significant node name according to the predetermined criteria, and causing the selected node to assign a final non-zero transmission group number where both nodes originally sent zero transmission group numbers or where both nodes originally sent proposed non-zero transmission group numbers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
Method of establishing transmission group numbers in a communications network wherein selected pairs of nodes may be selectively connected by transmission groups, each transmission group being uniquely identified as a function of the names of the paired nodes in combination with an assigned transmission group number; said method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of: sending an exchange identification message to the remote node, said message including a proposed non-zero transmission group number if one had been previously determined at the sending node or a zero transmission group number if no non-zero transmission group number had been previously determined, determining the value of the transmission group number contained in the exchange identification message received from the remote node, setting the final transmission group number qual to the proposed non-zero transmission group number sent by one of the paired nodes where the other of the nodes originally sent a zero transmission group number, comparing the relative significance of the node names according to predetermined criteria where both nodes send either zero transmission group numbers or proposed non-zero transmission group numbers, selecting the node having the more significant node name according to the predetermined criteria, and causing the selected node to assign a final non-zero transmission group number where both nodes originally sent zero transmission group numbers or where both nodes originally sent proposed non-zero transmission group numbers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as defined in Claim 1 wherein the step of sending an exchange identification message is preceded by the steps of: determining whether a proposed non-zero transmission group number is already in use between the paired nodes, and selecting a different proposed non-zero transmission group number if the originally proposed number is determined to be in use.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
48 words
The method defined in either of Claims 1 or 2 including the additional step of having the non-selected node acknowledge its acceptance of the final non-zero transmission group number by returning the selected transmission group number to the selected node if and when an XID send opportunity occurs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as defined in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said selecting step comprises the steps of: comparing the network-qualified names of the paired nodes to determine the relative values of the names in a standard collating sequence, and selecting the node having the network-qualified name of higher value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method as defined in Claim 1 wherein the step of sending an exchange identification method is preceded by the steps of: determining whether a zero transmission group number had been transmitted to the other node the first time a connection between the two nodes was initiated; and sending a non-zero transmission group number only if a zero transmission group number had not been transmitted to the other node at the first connection initiation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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