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EP0613274A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Socket structure for concurrent multiple protocol access

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1994-01-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-01-28
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Abstract

Abstract In a multiprotocol environment, a new socket structure is provided which moves the decision on which protocol to use until the time that the connection is actually made between nodes in the network. The new socket structure is created for every endpoint. All the protocols which could potentially be used to send or receive data is sent a request to create a protocol control block at the time the new socket is created. A selection process determines which of the protocols could be used by the endpoint. The new socket then contains information on each selected protocol. At the time a connection is established, any of the selected protocols could be used. The choice of which protocol to use can be based on user preferences, which protocols are available, the name of the service unit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mohan Byrappa Sharma
  • 👤 Yue Yeung
  • 👤 Chungsiang Cheng

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 10:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for communicating between nodes in a computer network in which a plurality of protocols are useable by network nodes, the method comprising the steps of: creating communication endpoint objects defining communication parameters for respective network nodes, the objects having information about the plurality of protocols which are useable by said node for inter-node communication; and at the time communication is requested between said nodes, establishing a connection between said nodes using a selected one of the plurality of protocols.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected protocol is chosen based on user preferences.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected protocol is chosen based on a capability of the selected protocol.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 75 words
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the creating step comprises the steps of: requesting information of each of the plurality of protocols; selecting a set of protocols from the plurality of protocols, which selected protocols are useable by the respective nodes; building a protocol control block for each of the selected protocols; and, inserting a pointer in the communication endpoint object for each protocol control block of a selected protocol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the order in which the pointers are inserted is based on user preference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 63 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein the selecting step comprises the steps of: determining whether there is a match for a first protocol for a first set of protocol parameters, the first protocol corresponding to a first pointer in the socket; and, responsive to finding no match for the first protocol, determining whether the first protocol is supported non-natively in the network.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 96 words
A system for communicating between nodes in a computer network in which a plurality of protocols are useable by network nodes, the system comprising: means for creating communication endpoint objects defining communication parameters for respective network nodes, which objects have information about the plurality of protocols useable by respective computer systems each coupled to one or more nodes in the network; and, means for establishing a connection between a first and a second computer system using a selected one of the plurality of protocols at the time communication is requested between nodes on the different systems.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 65 words
A system according to claim 7, which further comprises: means for selecting a set of protocols from said plurality of protocols; means for requesting information from each of the plurality of protocols; means for building a protocol control block for each of the selected protocols; and, means for inserting a pointer in the communication endpoint object for each protocol control block for a selected protocol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 62 words
A system according to claim 8, which further comprises: means for determining whether there is a match for a first protocol for a first set of protocol parameters, the first protocol corresponding to a first pointer in the socket; and, means for determining, responsive to finding no match for the first protocol, whether the first protocol is supported non-natively in the network.

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