System and method for distributively propagating revisions through a communications network

A method of operation of a communications network for propagating revisions through said communications network, comprising the steps of:

• collecting and transmitting a current status of second node information stored in a memory of a second node of said communications network;
• receiving said current status from said second node into a first node of said communications network, said first node determining whether a revision of said second node information is required based on said current status and, if said revision is required, transmitting said revision from said first node to said second node to revise said second node information;
• and
• receiving a current status from a third node of said communications network into said second node, said second node determining whether a revision of third node information stored in a memory of said third node is required based on said current status from said third node and, if said revision of said third node information is required, transmitting said revision received from said first node to said third node to revise said third node information, said revision thereby propagating through said communications network via said first, second and third nodes thereof.

A system for propagating revisions through a hierarchical communications network having a host, a first-level node and a second-level node, comprising:

• status reporting circuitry, associated with said first-level node, for collecting and transmitting a current status of first-level node information stored in a memory of said first-level node at a first time;
• first information revising circuitry, associated with said host, for receiving said current status from said first-level node, determining whether a revision of said first-level node information is required based on said current status and, if said revision is required, transmitting said revision from said host to said first-level node to revise said first-level node information;
• and
• second information revising circuitry, associated with said first-level node, for receiving a current status from said second-level node at a second time, determining whether a revision of second-level node information stored in a memory of said second-level node is required based on said current status from said second-level node and, if said revision of said second-level node information is required, transmitting said revision received from said host to said second-level node to revise said second-level node information, said second time subsequent to said first time by a period of time sufficient to allow said first-level node information to be fully revised before said second information revising circuitry transmits said revision to said second-level node, said revision thereby propagating through said communications network via said host, first-level and second-level nodes thereof.

A system for propagating revisions through a communications network, said communications network including at least one first level node, at least one second level node and at least one third level node, said system comprising:

• status reporting circuitry, associated with said at least one second level node, operative to collect and transmit a second level current status of information stored in a memory of said at least one second level node;
• first information revising circuitry, associated with said at least one first level node, operative to:
• (1) receive said second level current status of information from said at least one second level node, (2) determine whether a revision of said at least one second level node information is required based on said second level current status of information, and (3) selectively transmit, in response to said determination, said revision of said at least one second level node information from said at least one first level node to said at least one second level node to revise said at least one second level node information;
• and
• second information revising circuitry, associated with said at least one second level node, operative to:
• (1) receive a third level current status of information from said at least one third level node, (2) determine whether a revision of said at least one third level node information stored in a memory of said at least one third level node is required based on said third level current status, and (3) selectively transmit, in response to said determination, said revision received from said at least one first level node to said at least one third level node to revise said at least one third level node information, said revision thereby propagating through said communications network via said at least one first level, at least one second level and at least one third level nodes thereof.