US4654656A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Off-line notification and communication network
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1984-09-17
•
Granted: 1987-03-31
•
Expires: 2004-09-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to improvements in communication procedures, especially in networks which include at least one device which is capable of being manually switched to an off-line condition. In accordance with the invention, when a switch on such a device is thrown to the position which would place the device in an off-line condition, the device formulates and transmits a message to indicate that it is going to a temporary off-line condition. This message can be used at other devices which are connected in the communication network. Such a message can be employed at a network focal point for maintaining such a device in a polling loop regardless of the fact that the device may, for some period of time, fail to respond to any polls. Such a message can also be employed in any device which was in active communication with the device at the time it was placed in the temporary off-line condition to queue a restart request. In accordance with the invention, when the device which had been placed manually in an off-line condition, is again restored to the on-line condition, it will be in a condition to respond a poll from the network focal point. When it so responds to the poll, the network focal point is informed that the device is again capable of communicating, and any device which has a restart request pending for the device can enable the restart request.
Inventors
- 👤 Randall L. Deaver
- 👤 John L. Milligan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/20; G06F13/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a node is to be temporarily off-line, said communication network including; a network control, at least two nodes and a link interconnecting said nodes and said network control, said network control including a record of all active nodes, a polling device for communicating with all active nodes over said link and a delete device for removing a node from said record in the event said node does not respond to a poll within a time-out period, said method comprising the steps of: (a) informing said network control that a particular node will be temporarily off-line. (b) thereafter, inhibiting operation of said delete device at said network control in response to failure of said particular node to thereafter respond to a poll.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a node is to be temporarily off-line, said communication network including; a network control, at least two nodes and a link interconnecting said nodes and said network control, said network control including a record of all active nodes, a polling device for communicating with all active nodes over said link and a delete device for removing a node from said record in the event said node does not respond to a poll within a time-out period, said method comprising the steps of: (a) informing said network control that a particular node will be temporarily off-line. (b) thereafter, inhibiting operation of said delete device at said network control in response to failure of said particular node to thereafter respond to a poll.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the further step of: (c) controlling said polling device to poll said particular node at a relatively slow rate until it responds to a poll, and for thereafter disabling said inhibiting step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2 which includes the further step of: (d) informing an active session partner of said particular node that said particular node will be temporarily off-line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 3 which includes the further step of: (e) reestablishing communication between said particular node and said session partner in response to said particular node answering said poll.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the further step of: (c) reducing the poll rate for said particular node after said particular node fails to respond to a poll within said time-out period.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
76 words
The method of claim controlling a communication network in, the event a node is to be temporarily off-line comprising the steps of: (a) informing a network control that a particular node will be temporarily off-line, (b) informing an active session partner of said particular node that said particular node will be temporarily off-line, (c) inhibiting an error condition at said network control in response to failure of said particular node to thereafter respond to a poll.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 which includes the further step of: (d) altering a poll rate for said particular node after said particular node fails to respond to a poll.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 7 which includes the further step of: (e) terminating said inhibition of step c and restoring an original poll rate for said particular node after said particular node again responds to a poll.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 which includes the further step of restoring communication between said particular node and said sesson partner after said particular node again responds to a poll.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a particular node is to be temporarily off-line in which said network includes another node representing a network control which polls all nodes of said network comprising the steps of, providing a manually operable switch at said particular node for putting said particular node in a temporary offline state in response to operation of said switch, formulating and transmitting a message to said another node in said network in response to operation of said switch indicating that said particular node is going to temporary off-line state, thereafter putting said particular node in an off-line state, altering a poll rate for said particular node after said particular node fails to respond to a poll from said network control, and continuing to poll said particular node at said altered poll rate notwithstanding the failure of said particular node to respond to any poll.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
151 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a particular node is to be temporarily off-line in which said network includes another node representing a network control which polls all nodes of said network comprising the steps of, providing a manually operable switch at said particular node for putting said particular node in a temporary offline state in response to operation of said switch, formulating and transmitting a message to said another node in said network in response to operation of said switch indicating that said particular node is going to temporary off-line state, thereafter putting said particular node in an off-line state, altering a poll rate for said particular node after said particular node fails to respond to a poll from said network control, and continuing to poll said particular node at said altered poll rate notwithstanding the failure of said particular node to respond to any poll.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 10 in which said network includes a further node with which said particular node is communicating and in which said method includes the further steps of: queuing a communication request at said another node for communication with said particular node, and suspending said request until said particular node goes on-line.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a particular node is to be temporarily off-line, in which said network includes another node involved in active communication with said particular node, comprising the steps of: providing a manually operable switch at said particular node for putting said particular node in a temporary off-line state in response to operation of said switch, formulating and transmitting a message to said another node in said network in response to operation of said switch indicating that said particular node is going to a temporary off-line state, thereafter putting said particular node in an off-line state, queuing a communication request at said another node for communication with said particular node, and suspending said request until said particular node goes on-line.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of controlling a communication network in the event a particular node is to be temporarily off-line, in which said network includes another node involved in active communication with said particular node, comprising the steps of: providing a manually operable switch at said particular node for putting said particular node in a temporary off-line state in response to operation of said switch, formulating and transmitting a message to said another node in said network in response to operation of said switch indicating that said particular node is going to a temporary off-line state, thereafter putting said particular node in an off-line state, queuing a communication request at said another node for communication with said particular node, and suspending said request until said particular node goes on-line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method of claim 12 in which said network further includes a network control node and which said method includes the further steps of: formulating and transmitting another message to said network control node in response to operation of said switch indicating said particular node is going to a temporary off-line state, altering a poll rate for said particular node after said particular node fails to respond to a poll from said network control, and continuing to poll said particular node at said altered poll rate notwithstanding the failure of said particular node to respond to any poll.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3313884A
Cited
US3531772A
Cited
US4136333A
Cited
US4112467A
Cited
EP0012502A1
Cited
US4251865A
Cited
US4400694A
Cited
JPS577652A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-30 | 1990-09-29 | 1991-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-09-29 | 1995-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-30 | 1998-09-29 | 1999-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |