Verification of active nodes in an open network

The system of claim 1, wherein:

• a specific one of the nodes associated with the expired specific polling-timer is enabled to propagate (602) a relink-token along the network;
• each respective node receiving the relink-token is enabled to suspend (602) its respective polling-timer and is enabled to confirm receipt (604) of the relink-token to a preceding one of the nodes;
• each respective node has a respective response-timer (236) for monitoring the confirmation;
• each respective node is enabled to suspend (614) the respective response-timer upon receipt of the confirmation.
• 3.The system of claim 2, wherein:
• the system enables a particular one of the nodes whose response timer expired to be linked to the specific node whose polling-timer expired.

A method of enabling operation of an information processing system (100;

• 110;
• 150) having a network with a plurality of information processing nodes (102, 106;
• 112, 118;
• 154a-d;
• 200), wherein the nodes are topologically interconnected to form a directed graph, the method comprising:
• enabling each respective node to receive a polling-token from a respective preceding one of the nodes and to forward the polling-token to a respective succeeding one of the nodes;
• enabling each respective one of the nodes to reset a respective polling-timer (234) upon receipt of the polling token;
• enabling the system to initiate reconfiguring (334, 336, 700-720) the network upon expiry of a specific one of the respective polling-timers.

A method of enabling operating an information processing system having a network with a plurality of information processing nodes (102, 106;

• 112, 118;
• 154a-d;
• 200), wherein the nodes are interconnected topologically to form a directed graph, the method comprising:
• enabling each respective node to receive a polling-token from a respective preceding one of the nodes and to forward the polling-token to a respective succeeding one of the nodes;
• enabling each respective one of the nodes to reset a respective polling-timer (234) upon receipt of the polling token;
• enabling determining a number (CV) of functionally active nodes on the network;
• and enabling controlling (900-914) the respective polling-timers dependent on the number of nodes determined.

A method of functionally uniting a first and a second network (724a, 724b), wherein:

• the first network has a first plurality of information processing nodes (C0-S0) configured in a first directed graph for a purpose of propagating a first polling-token across the first network;
• the second network has a second plurality of information processing nodes (C1-S1) configured in a second directed graph for a purpose of propagating a second polling-token across the second network;
• the method comprising:
• enabling a first node in the first network to communicate (700) a message to the second network when in possession of the first polling-token;
• and
• enabling a second node in the second network to respond to the message when in possession of the second polling-token,
• enabling a third node succeeding the first node in the first network to become (716) a succeeding node to the second node in the second network;
• and
• enabling a fourth node succeeding the second node in the second network to become (716) the successor of the first node.

For use in an information processing network (100, 110, 150) forming a directed graph for a purpose of propagating a polling token across the network:

• an information processing node (200) comprising:
• an input (230) for receipt of the polling token;
• an output (232) for dispatch of the polling token;
• a memory (204;
• 238-240) for storage of first and second addresses;
• a timer (234) for monitoring a time period between dispatch and receipt of the polling token;
• means for, under control of the timer, either dispatching a further polling token or sending relink message containing the first and second addresses.