US5377190A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Frame removal mechanism using frame count for token ring networks
Assignee: Enterasys Networks Inc
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Filing: 1992-05-08
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Granted: 1994-12-27
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Expires: 2012-05-08
Abstract
Abstract A system for stripping frames transmitted by a station on a token ring network is disclosed. During operation of the system, the station receives a grant of permission to transmit onto the network. In an example embodiment, the grant of permission is a token. After receipt of the grant of permission to transmit, the station transmits one or more frames onto the network. The station counts the number of frames transmitted onto the network. The count of frames transmitted onto the network is the `frame count`. Upon transmission of the frames, the station stops forwarding frames received from the network, thus removing received frames from the network. Removing received frames from the network is referred to as `stripping`. Following transmission of the information frames, the station counts the number of frames stripped from the network. The count of frames stripped from the network is the `strip count`. When the strip count equals the frame count, the station terminates stripping. In an example embodiment, the system is used in a bridge station, the bridge station connecting a first network with a second network.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Yang
- 👤 K. K. Ramakrishnan
- 👤 Barry Spinney
- 👤 Rajendra K. Jain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4637; H04L12/42; H04L12/427; H04L12/433
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A station on a token ring network, said station comprising: A. transmitting means for transmitting one or more information frames on to the network; B. frame stripping means for stripping frames from the network; C. a counter responsive to said transmitting means for counting the frames transmitted on to the network by the station, and further responsive to said frame stripping means for decrementing said count for each error-free information frame stripped from the network by the station; and D. frame stripping control means for controlling the frame stripping means such that information frames are stripped from the network when said counter has a non-zero count.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A station on a token ring network, said station comprising: A. transmitting means for transmitting one or more information frames on to the network; B. frame stripping means for stripping frames from the network; C. a counter responsive to said transmitting means for counting the frames transmitted on to the network by the station, and further responsive to said frame stripping means for decrementing said count for each error-free information frame stripped from the network by the station; and D. frame stripping control means for controlling the frame stripping means such that information frames are stripped from the network when said counter has a non-zero count.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of stripping frames from a computer network comprising the steps of: A. transmitting frames on to the network; B. counting the frames transmitted on to the network and maintaining a frame count; C. stripping frames after said frame transmission is begun; D. decrementing the frame count by one for each error-free frame stripped; and E. discontinuing stripping frames when the frame count equals zero.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of stripping frames from a computer network comprising the steps of: A. transmitting frames on to the network; B. counting the frames transmitted on to the network and maintaining a frame count; C. stripping frames after said frame transmission is begun; D. decrementing the frame count by one for each error-free frame stripped; and E. discontinuing stripping frames when the frame count equals zero.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A station on a token ring network, said station comprising: means for granting permission to said station to transmit at least one frame onto said network; means for counting each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network; means for stripping at least one frame from said network, and for counting each frame stripped; means for beginning stripping in response to a grant of permission to said station to transmit said at least one frame onto said network, and for ending stripping when a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
A station on a token ring network, said station comprising: means for granting permission to said station to transmit at least one frame onto said network; means for counting each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network; means for stripping at least one frame from said network, and for counting each frame stripped; means for beginning stripping in response to a grant of permission to said station to transmit said at least one frame onto said network, and for ending stripping when a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: said at least one frame is at least one information frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means for stripping at least one frame from said network further comprises: means for stripping all frames arriving at said station from said network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means for stripping at least one frame from said network further comprises: means for stripping all frame fragments arriving at said station from said network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus as in claim 6 further comprising: means, within said means for stripping, for counting only error-free frames stripped from said network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said means for granting permission to said station to transmit at least one frame onto said network, further comprises: means for indicating that a token was received by said station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by the station of a token.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by the station of a network error.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by said station of a beacon frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by said station of a claim token frame.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by said station of a beacon frame.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for ending stripping upon detection by said station of a frame indicating a network error condition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: means for incrementing a counter for each frame transmitted onto said network; means for decrementing said counter for each frame stripped; means for ending stripping when said counter indicates that a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
The apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising: a counter; means, within said means for counting each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network, for adding one to said counter for each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network; means, within said means for stripping at least one frame from said network, for subtracting one from said counter for each of said at least one frame stripped; and means for ending stripping when said counter indicates that a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as in claim 11 or claim 12 or claim 13 or claim 14 or claim 15 or claim 16 further comprising: means, within said means for stripping, for counting only error free frames stripped by said apparatus.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for operating a station on a token ring network, comprising: granting permission to said station to transmit at least one frame onto said network; transmitting said at least one frame onto said network; counting each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network; beginning stripping, to strip at least one frame from said network and to count each frame stripped, in response to a grant of permission to said station to transmit said at least one frame onto said network; and, ending stripping when a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
99 words
A method for operating a station on a token ring network, comprising: granting permission to said station to transmit at least one frame onto said network; transmitting said at least one frame onto said network; counting each of said at least one frame transmitted onto said network; beginning stripping, to strip at least one frame from said network and to count each frame stripped, in response to a grant of permission to said station to transmit said at least one frame onto said network; and, ending stripping when a number of frames stripped equals a number of frames transmitted.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as in claim 18 wherein said at least one frame transmitted onto said network comprises at least one information frame.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as in claim 18 wherein between said step of beginning stripping and said step of ending stripping all frames and frame fragments arriving at said station from said network are stripped.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: counting only error free frames.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon receiving a token by said station.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon detection by the station of a network error.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon detection by the station of a beacon frame.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon detection by the station of a claim frame.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon detection by the station of a beacon frame.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as in claim 18 further comprising: ending stripping upon detection by the station of a frame indicating a network error condition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
168 words
A station for connection to a token ring network, comprising: A. transmitting means for transmitting on the network a number of information frames; B. stop condition detecting means for indicating the occurrence of any of a number of predetermined conditions for stopping a stripping operation; and C. frame stripping means for stripping from the network information frames received during a time period which begins when the transmitting means begins transmitting information frames, and which ends when any stop stripping condition is indicated by the stop condition detecting means after the transmitting means has completed transmitting the information frames; D. counter means for counting the difference between the number of frames transmitted by the transmitting means and the number of frames stripped from the network by the frame stripping means; E. wherein the stop condition detecting means further includes means for indicating the occurence of a stop stripping condition when said count of said difference between the number of frames transmitted and the number of frames stripped equals zero.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
168 words
A station for connection to a token ring network, comprising: A. transmitting means for transmitting on the network a number of information frames; B. stop condition detecting means for indicating the occurrence of any of a number of predetermined conditions for stopping a stripping operation; and C. frame stripping means for stripping from the network information frames received during a time period which begins when the transmitting means begins transmitting information frames, and which ends when any stop stripping condition is indicated by the stop condition detecting means after the transmitting means has completed transmitting the information frames; D. counter means for counting the difference between the number of frames transmitted by the transmitting means and the number of frames stripped from the network by the frame stripping means; E. wherein the stop condition detecting means further includes means for indicating the occurence of a stop stripping condition when said count of said difference between the number of frames transmitted and the number of frames stripped equals zero.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
A station according to claim 28, wherein: the transmitter means transmits a token after it transmits said information frames, and the stop condition detecting means further includes means for indicating the stop stripping condition when a token is received by the station over the network.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
A station according to claim 29, wherein the stop condition detecting means further includes means for indicating the stop stripping condition when a frame indicating a network error condition is received by the station over the network.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A station according to claim 28, wherein the counter means does not respond to a frame stripped from the network unless the stripped frame is error-free.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-12-26 | 1998-06-27 | 1998-12-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-12-26 | 2002-06-27 | 2002-12-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-12-26 | 2006-06-27 | 2006-12-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |