US5353283A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
General internet method for routing packets in a communications network
Assignee: Nytell Software LLC
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Filing: 1993-05-28
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Granted: 1994-10-04
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Expires: 2013-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for transmitting a packet via a sequence of nodes in a network is disclosed. The transmitted-packet contains a sequence of one or more identifiers in a sequence of fields 410, 420, 430, 440, 450, 460, 470, 480 and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in the sequence of identifiers in a field 485 of a routing section of a header in the packet. A node of the sequence of nodes at which the packet is located selects a forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at that node. The node then retrieves an entry from the selected forwarding table indexed by the identifier in the sequence of identifiers pointed to by the pointer. The node then transmits the packet to the next node of the sequence of nodes indicated by the retrieved forwarding table entry.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul F. Tsuchiya
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:18
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for transmitting via a sequence of nodes in a network a packet containing a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers comprising the steps of: at one of said nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a particular forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one node, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a second node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for transmitting via a sequence of nodes in a network a packet containing a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers comprising the steps of: at one of said nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a particular forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one node, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a second node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said packet further comprises a routing context parameter and wherein said forwarding table is selected in response to said routing context parameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of, in response to said retrieved entry, changing said pointer to a different pointer which points to a different identifier in said sequence of identifiers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of: receiving said packet at said second node of said sequence of nodes, at said second node, selecting a second forwarding table from a second set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said second node, retrieving an entry from said second selected forwarding table in response to said different identifier pointed to by said different pointer, and transmitting said packet to a third node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said entry retrieved from said second selected forwarding table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said packet is a multicast packet and wherein said node transmits each of a plurality of copies of said packet to a different node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of modifying said routing context parameter in said packet to select a particular forwarding table at each successive node of said sequence of nodes via which said packet is transmitted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of modifying said routing context parameter to reroute said packet around congestion in said sequence of nodes via which said packet is transmitted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of modifying said routing context parameter in response to said retrieved entry.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said routing context parameter identifies a desired transmission delay of said packet in said network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said network is an internet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said internet comprises a plurality of backbone networks which backbone networks contain at least one interconnected node, wherein said sequence of nodes via which said packet is transmitted includes at least one node contained in at least one of said backbone networks, and wherein said sequence of identifiers comprises one identifier associated with each of said backbone networks containing at least one of said nodes via which said packet is transmitted.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said identifiers in said sequence of identifiers is a virtual path identifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said routing context parameter identifies a quality of service for transmitting said packet in said network.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for transmitting via a sequence of nodes a packet containing a routing context parameter comprising the steps of: at one of said nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one node, which forwarding table is selected in response to said routing context parameter, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table in response to routing information contained in the packet, and transmitting said packet to a second node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
96 words
A method for transmitting via a sequence of nodes a packet containing a routing context parameter comprising the steps of: at one of said nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one node, which forwarding table is selected in response to said routing context parameter, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table in response to routing information contained in the packet, and transmitting said packet to a second node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said routing information comprises a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers, wherein said entry is retrieved from said selected forwarding table in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of modifying said routing context parameter to select a particular forwarding table at each successive node of said sequence of nodes via which said packet is transmitted.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for transmitting a packet from a source node to a destination node via a sequence of intermediary nodes in a network comprising the steps of: at the source node, prior to transmission, writing in the packet a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers, at one of said intermediary nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a particular forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one intermediary node, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table at said one intermediary node in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a next node that is indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for transmitting a packet from a source node to a destination node via a sequence of intermediary nodes in a network comprising the steps of: at the source node, prior to transmission, writing in the packet a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers, at one of said intermediary nodes in which said packet is located, selecting a particular forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said one intermediary node, retrieving an entry from said selected forwarding table at said one intermediary node in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a next node that is indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising at said one intermediary node the step of, in response to said retrieved entry, changing said pointer to a different pointer which points to a different identifier in said sequence of identifiers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of: receiving said packet at said next node of said sequence of intermediary nodes, at said next node, selecting a second forwarding table from a second set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said next node. retrieving an entry from said second selected forwarding table in response to said different identifier pointed to by said different pointer, and transmitting said packet to a further next intermediary node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said entry retrieved from said second selected forwarding table.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method at claim 17 further comprising the step at said source node of writing a routing context parameter in the packet and wherein at said intermediary node said forwarding table is selected in response to said routing context parameter.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of modifying said routing context parameter to select a particular forwarding table at each successive node of said sequence of intermediary nodes via which said packet is transmitted.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for transmitting a packet from a source node to a destination node via a sequence of intermediary nodes in a network comprising the steps of: at the source node, prior to transmission, writing in the packet a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers, at one of said intermediary nodes in which said packet is located and where at said one intermediary node a forwarding table is maintained in a memory, retrieving an entry from said forwarding table in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a next node that is indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for transmitting a packet from a source node to a destination node via a sequence of intermediary nodes in a network comprising the steps of: at the source node, prior to transmission, writing in the packet a sequence of identifiers and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in said sequence of identifiers, at one of said intermediary nodes in which said packet is located and where at said one intermediary node a forwarding table is maintained in a memory, retrieving an entry from said forwarding table in response to said particular identifier pointed to by said pointer, and transmitting said packet to a next node that is indicated by said retrieved entry.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 22 further comprising at said one intermediary node the step of, in response to said retrieved entry, changing said pointer to a different pointer which points to a different identifier in said sequence of identifiers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of: receiving said packet at said next node of said sequence of intermediary nodes, at said next node, selecting a second forwarding table from a second set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at said next node, retrieving an entry from said second selected forwarding table in response to said different identifier pointed to by said different pointer, and transmitting said packet to a further next intermediary node of said sequence of nodes indicated by said entry retrieved from said second selected forwarding table.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-03 | 1998-04-04 | 1998-10-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-03 | 2002-04-04 | 2002-10-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-03 | 2006-04-04 | 2006-10-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |