Discovery features for SNMP managed devices

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further including the step of: (f) repeating steps (c) through (d) if the another one of the management frame is received within the particular timer interval.

Claim 4

The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the value of the predetermined timer interval set in step (c) on a first pass through the process steps is substantially the same as in a repeat pass of the process steps.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined timer interval is set to be approximately 60 seconds.

Claim 6

The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the value of the predetermined timer interval set in step (c) on a first pass through the process steps is different from the values set in a repeat of the process steps.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein different values of the predetermined timer interval are being calculated dynamically.

Claim 8

The method of claim 2 further including the step of resetting the timer when the predetermined timer interval expires.

Claim 11

The device of claim 8 wherein the information includes a first computer program.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 wherein the information includes a second computer program.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 wherein the first computer program includes a machine readable indicia for causing the controller to generate and send, at predetermined timed interval, Auto-Discovery Trap Frames which contain specific information on the device; and machine readable indicia for causing said controller to repeat sending said Auto-Discovery frames until the Response Frame indicating that the device has been discovered is received at said controller.

Claim 14

The device of claim 8 further including a bus for coupling the controller, the memory and a the medium access control chip.

Claim 15

The device of claim 8 wherein the controller includes a microprocessor.

Claim 16

The device of claim 8 wherein the management reply frame includes an SNMP Get Request Frame.

Claim 17

The method of claim 8 wherein the network includes a TCP/IP network in which SNMP protocols is being used to manage the devices.

Claim 18

In a network comprising a plurality of stations interconnected by communications link wherein one or more of said stations are being designated as Management Stations and one or more of said stations are being designated managed devices, a method for operating the network to enable managed devices to be registered with the at least one of the Management Stations, said method comprising the steps of: (a) generating and transferring from at least one of the managed devices, a Discovery frame including the identity of the at least one managed device; (b) in response to (a), generating and transmitting, onto the network from at least one of the Management Stations, a notification frame indicating that the at least one of the Management Stations has discovered at least one of the managed devices; (c) receiving the notification frame in said at least one of the managed devices; (d) setting a timer configured to run for a predetermined timer interval; (e) at the end of the timer interval, determining if a second one of the notification frame has been received; (f) generating and transmitting from said at least one managed device, the Discovery frame including the identity of said at least one managed device if the second notification frame has not been received during the timer interval; and (g) repeating step (f) until the notification frame has been received.

Claim 19

In a network comprising a plurality of stations interconnected by communications link wherein one or more of said stations are being designated as Management Stations and one or more of said stations are being designated managed devices, a method for operating the network to enable managed devices to be registered with the at least one of the Management Stations, said method comprising the steps of: (a) generating and transferring from at least one of the managed devices, a Discovery frame including the identity of the at least one managed device; (b) in response to (a), generating and transmitting, onto the network from at least one of the Management Stations, a notification frame indicating that the at least one of the Management Stations has discovered at least one of the managed devices; (c) receiving the notification frame in said at least one of the managed devices; (d) setting a timer configured to run for a predetermined timer interval; (e) at the end of the timer interval, determining if a second one of the notification frame has been received; (f) generating and transmitting from said at least one managed device, the Discovery frame including the identity of said at least one managed device if the second notification frame has not been received during the timer interval; and (g) repeating step (f) until the notification frame has been received.

Claim 20

The method set forth in claim 16 further including the steps of repeating steps (d) through (e) if the second notification frame has been received during the timer interval.

Claim 21

In a network comprising a plurality of stations interconnected by communications link and managed devices wherein one or more of said stations are being designated as Management Stations, a method for establishing and maintaining communication between at least one of the managed devices and at least one of the Management Stations comprising the steps of: (a) in at least one of the managed devices, generating Discovery frames including the identity of the at least one of the managed devices; (b) transmitting the Discovery frames until a Response Frame indicating that the at least one of the managed device has been discovered is received from at least one of the management stations; (c) setting a timer to run for a predetermined timer interval; (d) at the end of the predetermined timer interval, determining if a second one of the Response Frame has been received during the timer interval; (e) repeating steps (c) through (d) if the second Response frame was received; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) if the Response frame was not received.

Claim 22

In a network comprising a plurality of stations interconnected by communications link and managed devices wherein one or more of said stations are being designated as Management Stations, a method for establishing and maintaining communication between at least one of the managed devices and at least one of the Management Stations comprising the steps of: (a) in at least one of the managed devices, generating Discovery frames including the identity of the at least one of the managed devices; (b) transmitting the Discovery frames until a Response Frame indicating that the at least one of the managed device has been discovered is received from at least one of the management stations; (c) setting a timer to run for a predetermined timer interval; (d) at the end of the predetermined timer interval, determining if a second one of the Response Frame has been received during the timer interval; (e) repeating steps (c) through (d) if the second Response frame was received; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) if the Response frame was not received.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 wherein the Response frame includes an SNMP Get Request Frame.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 wherein the Discovery Frame includes an Auto Discovery Trap Frame.

Claim 25

The method of claim 18 wherein the Discovery Frame includes a Ping Frame.

Claim 26

A computer program product for use in a communications network to establish and maintain communication between Management Stations and managed devices comprising: a medium; a computer readable program module recorded on the medium, said computer readable program module causing a computer in at least one of said managed device to generate and send a Discovery frame including the identity of the at least one of the managed device; a computer readable program module recorded on said medium, for causing a computer in at least one of said managed devices to examine frames received from the Management Station in response to the Discovery frame; a computer readable program module, recorded on said medium, for causing the computer to set a timer to run for a predetermined timer interval if a Response frame is received; a computer readable program module, recorded on said medium, for determining if a second one of the Response frame has been received during the timer interval; and a computer readable program module, recorded on the medium, for causing resending of the Discovery Frame if the second of the Response frame has not been received during the time interval.

Claim 27

A computer program product for use in a communications network to establish and maintain communication between Management Stations and managed devices comprising: a medium; a computer readable program module recorded on the medium, said computer readable program module causing a computer in at least one of said managed device to generate and send a Discovery frame including the identity of the at least one of the managed device; a computer readable program module recorded on said medium, for causing a computer in at least one of said managed devices to examine frames received from the Management Station in response to the Discovery frame; a computer readable program module, recorded on said medium, for causing the computer to set a timer to run for a predetermined timer interval if a Response frame is received; a computer readable program module, recorded on said medium, for determining if a second one of the Response frame has been received during the timer interval; and a computer readable program module, recorded on the medium, for causing resending of the Discovery Frame if the second of the Response frame has not been received during the time interval.

Claim 28

The computer program product of claim 22 further including computer readable program module recorded on said medium for re-setting the timer and monitoring for receipt of the second one of the Response frame if said second one of the Response frame was received during a previous timer interval.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24 wherein the management frame includes an SNMP GET REQUEST frame.