US5793978A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for routing packets by separating packets in to broadcast packets and non-broadcast packets and allocating a selected communication bandwidth to the broadcast packets
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1994-12-29
•
Granted: 1998-08-11
•
Expires: 2014-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for routing packets, in which the resources consumed by broadcast packets are limited. Broadcast packets are placed in a separate queue that is managed independently of the buffer interface queue for non-broadcast packets. The broadcast queue is limited to a selected amount of communication bandwidth; when the amount of broadcast traffic exceeds the selected bandwidth, broadcast messages are queued and held for transmission until later (i.e., when the selected amount of bandwidth becomes available). An operator may specify a maximum number of broadcast packets to be sent in any one second period, an a maximum number of broadcast packet bytes to be sent in any one second period.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Alan Fowler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1886; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/15; H04L47/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A system for routing packets, comprising: a network interface; a first transmit queue associated with said network interface; a second transmit queue for queuing broadcast packets to said first transmit queue; means for identifying a packet as a broadcast packet or a non-broadcast packet; means, responsive to said means for identifying, for placing said packets identified as non-broadcast packets in said first transmit queue and for placing said packets identified as broadcast packets in said second transmit queue; means for allocating a selected communication bandwidth to said broadcast packets; and means for transferring packets from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue responsive to said means for allocating, wherein resources occupied by said broadcast packets are limited to said selected communication bandwidth.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A system for routing packets, comprising: a network interface; a first transmit queue associated with said network interface; a second transmit queue for queuing broadcast packets to said first transmit queue; means for identifying a packet as a broadcast packet or a non-broadcast packet; means, responsive to said means for identifying, for placing said packets identified as non-broadcast packets in said first transmit queue and for placing said packets identified as broadcast packets in said second transmit queue; means for allocating a selected communication bandwidth to said broadcast packets; and means for transferring packets from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue responsive to said means for allocating, wherein resources occupied by said broadcast packets are limited to said selected communication bandwidth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for placing is responsive to a clock.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as in claim 1, comprising means for receiving an operator command; and means for setting a length of said second transmit queue responsive to said operator command.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for transferring is responsive to a clock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for transferring comprises means for limiting said broadcast packets to a selected number of bytes per second.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for transferring comprises means for limiting said broadcast packets to a selected number of packets per second.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said means for allocating communication bandwidth operates to limit said broadcast packets to a selected total amount of communication bandwidth for said network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as in claim 1, further comprising means for receiving a designation of communication bandwidth to be allocated to broadcast packets; wherein said means for allocating communication bandwidth is responsive to said means for receiving.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as in claim 8, further comprising means for receiving an operator command, wherein said means for allocating communication bandwidth is responsive to said operator command.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for routing packets, comprising the steps of identifying a packet as a broadcast packet or a non-broadcast packet; placing said packet on a first transmit queue associated with a network interface, or on a second transmit queue for queuing broadcast packets to said first transmit queue, responsive to said step of identifying; reading packets from said first transmit queue and transmitting said packets to said network interface; allocating a selected communication bandwidth to said broadcast packets; and reading packets from said second transmit queue and transferring said packets from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue, said first transmit queue responding to said selected communication bandwidth; and limiting resources occupied by said broadcast packets to said selected communication bandwidth.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for routing packets, comprising the steps of identifying a packet as a broadcast packet or a non-broadcast packet; placing said packet on a first transmit queue associated with a network interface, or on a second transmit queue for queuing broadcast packets to said first transmit queue, responsive to said step of identifying; reading packets from said first transmit queue and transmitting said packets to said network interface; allocating a selected communication bandwidth to said broadcast packets; and reading packets from said second transmit queue and transferring said packets from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue, said first transmit queue responding to said selected communication bandwidth; and limiting resources occupied by said broadcast packets to said selected communication bandwidth.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as in claim 10, further comprising the steps of setting a clock interrupt; and triggering said clock interrupt responsive to a clock; wherein said step of transferring packets from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue is responsive to said clock interrupt.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 10, further comprising the steps of receiving an operator command; and setting a length of said second transmit queue responsive to said operator command.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 10, wherein said step of transferring from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue comprises the step of limiting said broadcast packets to a selected number of bytes per second.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 10, wherein said step of transferring from said second transmit queue to said first transmit queue comprises the step of limiting said broadcast packets to a selected number of packets per second.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system, as in claim 10, wherein said step of allocating operates to limit said broadcast packets to a selected total amount of communication bandwidth for said network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system, as in claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving a designation of communication bandwidth to be allocated to broadcast packets; wherein said means for allocating communication bandwidth is responsive to said means for receiving.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system, as in claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving an operator command, wherein said means for allocating communication bandwidth is responsive to said operator command.
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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) | 2001-08-10 | 2002-02-09 | 2002-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-02-09 | 2006-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-10 | 2010-02-09 | 2010-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |