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US5881242A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and system of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network

Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
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Filing: 1997-01-09
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Granted: 1999-03-09
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Expires: 2017-01-09
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Abstract

Abstract A method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system of the present invention, a data frame is first received from a computer network. A frame header of the data frame is then parsed into multiple test units of identical lengths. A test vector is subsequently assigned to each of the test units, wherein each test vector includes a reference pattern field and an action code pointer field. A number of test blocks are constructed by inserting each of the test vectors into a corresponding slot of various test blocks. Finally, a search tree is constructed by utilizing these various test blocks, and each test block is associated with each other test block via the test vectors contained within.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edward H. Ku
  • 👤 James Philip Ervin
  • 👤 Douglas Ray Henderson
  • 👤 Richard Colbert Matlack, Jr.
  • 👤 Jean Huey Wingler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 06:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/74; H04L45/745; H04L69/00; H04L69/22

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
A method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a data frame from said computer network; parsing a frame header of said data frame into a plurality of test units, wherein all said test units have an identical length; assigning a test vector to each of said plurality of test units, wherein each said test vector includes a reference pattern field and an action code pointer field; constructing a plurality of test blocks by inserting each said test vector to a corresponding slot of one of said plurality of test blocks; and constructing a search tree utilizing said plurality of test blocks, wherein said plurality of test blocks are associated with each other by said test vectors.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 129 words
A method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a data frame from said computer network; parsing a frame header of said data frame into a plurality of test units, wherein all said test units have an identical length; assigning a test vector to each of said plurality of test units, wherein each said test vector includes a reference pattern field and an action code pointer field; constructing a plurality of test blocks by inserting each said test vector to a corresponding slot of one of said plurality of test blocks; and constructing a search tree utilizing said plurality of test blocks, wherein said plurality of test blocks are associated with each other by said test vectors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
The method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 1, wherein said parsing step further includes a step of parsing said frame header into a plurality of two-bit test units.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 1, wherein said assigning step further includes a step of assigning a test vector in accordance with a bit pattern with each of said test units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 1, wherein said inserting step further includes a step of inserting a test vector to a corresponding slot of a test block from a number selection of slots limited by a size of each said test units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 1, wherein said step of constructing a search tree further includes a step of constructing a separate search tree for a received data frame having a different communication protocol.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 70 words
The method of parsing frame headers for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes a step of routing said data frame to a node within said computer network in accordance with an action code in said action code field within one of said plurality of test vectors having a reference pattern in said reference pattern field matched with said frame header.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 137 words
A data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network, said data processing system comprising: means for receiving a data frame from said computer network; means for parsing a frame header of said data frame into a plurality of test units, wherein all said test units have an identical length; means for assigning a test vector to each of said plurality of test units, wherein each said test vector includes a reference pattern field and an action code pointer field; a plurality of test blocks, wherein each of said test blocks includes a plurality of slots, wherein some of said plurality of slots contains one of said test vectors; and a search tree constructed by said plurality of test blocks, wherein said plurality of test blocks are associated with each other by said test vectors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 137 words
A data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network, said data processing system comprising: means for receiving a data frame from said computer network; means for parsing a frame header of said data frame into a plurality of test units, wherein all said test units have an identical length; means for assigning a test vector to each of said plurality of test units, wherein each said test vector includes a reference pattern field and an action code pointer field; a plurality of test blocks, wherein each of said test blocks includes a plurality of slots, wherein some of said plurality of slots contains one of said test vectors; and a search tree constructed by said plurality of test blocks, wherein said plurality of test blocks are associated with each other by said test vectors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 7, wherein each of said plurality test units is two-bit long.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 41 words
The data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 7, wherein said assigning means further includes a means for assigning a test vector in accordance with a bit pattern with each of said test units.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 45 words
The data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 7, wherein said test vector is inserted to a corresponding slot of a test block from a number selection of slots limited by a size of each said test units.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
The data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 7, wherein said data processing system further includes a separate search tree for a received data frame having a different communication protocol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 72 words
The data processing system for routing data frames within a computer network according to claim 7, wherein said data processing system further includes a means for routing said data frame to a node within said computer network in accordance with an action code stored in said action code field within one of said plurality of test vectors having a reference pattern stored in said reference pattern field matched with said frame header.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3979733A Cited
US5038345A Cited
US5191582A Cited
US5251215A Cited
US5469150A Cited
US5781729A Cited
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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) 2002-03-08 2002-09-07 2003-03-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-03-08 2006-09-07 2007-03-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-03-08 2010-09-07 2011-03-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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