Communication device operable under multiple control planes
AssigneeSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsRyan Bradetich, Rhett Smith, Daniel B. Rippon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for operating a configurable communication device. Operating the configurable communication device includes operating the configurable communication device using a first network architecture control plane type. Then, an indication is received to switch at least part of the configurable communication device to using a second network architecture control plane type. In response to the indication, the configurable communication device operates the at least part of the configurable communication device in a hybrid mode utilizing both the first and second network architecture control plane types.
Claims19
A configurable communication device, comprising:
- a communication interface comprising:
- a first configurable physical port configured to switch between a first control plane type and a second control plane type, wherein the first configurable physical port is configured to use solely the first control plane type during operation when configured to the first control plane type;
- and
- a second configurable physical port configured to switch between the first control plane type and the second control plane type, wherein the second configurable physical port is configured to use solely the second control plane type when configured to the second control plane type during operation;
- a computer-readable, tangible, and non-transitory media storing instructions comprising:
- a first control plane block of instructions to implement the first control plane type;
- and
- a second control plane block of instructions to implement the second control plane type;
- a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause:
- the configurable communication device to implement the first control plane block of instructions, the second control plane block of instructions, or both;
- the configurable communication device to execute as a switch of the first control plane type using the communication interface upon implementation of the first control plane block of instructions;
- and
- the configurable communication device to execute as a switch of the second control plane type using the communication interface upon implementation of the second control plane block of instructions.
A method of operating a configurable communication device, comprising:
- operating the configurable communication device using a first network architecture control plane type;
- receiving an indication to switch at least part of the configurable communication device to using a second network architecture control plane type before the configurable communication device receives a packet of data corresponding to the second network architecture control plane type, wherein the indication is received from a user interface subsystem configured to receive a manual input from a user;
- and
- operating the at least part of the configurable communication device in a hybrid mode utilizing both the first and second network architecture control plane types, wherein the configurable communication device comprises a communication interface having a first configurable physical port configured to use solely the first network architecture control plane type during operation and a second configurable physical port configured to use solely the second network architecture control plane type during operation.
A configurable communication device, comprising:
- a communication interface;
- memory storing instructions and configuration for a plurality of control plane types;
- a processor, that when executing the instructions, is configured to:
- receive the configuration for the plurality of control plane types;
- operate using a software-defined network (SDN) control plane type of the plurality of control plane types;
- receive an ingress of data corresponding to a spanning tree protocol (STA) control plane type of the plurality of control plane types;
- determine that the ingress of data is received within a threshold time;
- activate a mode corresponding to the STA control plane type based on the received ingress of data in response to determining the ingress of data was received within the threshold time;
- and
- block the ingress of data in response to determining the ingress of data was not received within the threshold time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.