US 7,733,908 B1Granted

Cross-layer architecture for a network device

AssigneeQurio Holdings, Inc.

InventorGregory Morgan Evans

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Abstract

A cross-layer architecture for a network device having a number of network interfaces is provided. Each of the network interfaces implements a number of low level layers of a protocol stack and includes an associated network based cross-layer agent. The network device also includes an application based cross-layer agent associated with one or more high level protocol stack layers including an application layer. When the application layer desires to form a network connection to another network device, an arbitration agent operates to identify one of the network interfaces for the network connection. The arbitration agent then effects interconnection of the application based cross-layer agent and the network based cross-layer agent of the network interface and interconnection of the high level protocol stack layers and the low level protocol stack layers of the network interface, thereby forming a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture for the network connection.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A network device comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces each implementing at least one low level protocol stack layer and comprising a network based cross-layer agent associated with the at least one low level protocol stack layer;
and
a control system associated with the plurality of network interfaces and comprising:
an application based cross-layer agent associated with at least one high level protocol stack layer including an application layer, the application based cross-layer agent adapted to obtain information identifying a second network device with which the application layer desires to establish a network connection and provide the information identifying the second network device to an arbitration agent;
and
the arbitration agent adapted to:
identify the one of the plurality of network interfaces as a network interface for establishing a network connection with the second network device based on the information identifying the second network device;
effect interconnection of the at least one high level protocol stack layer and the one of the plurality of network interfaces identified as the network interface for establishing the network connection with the second network device;
and
effect interconnection of the network based cross-layer agent of the one of the plurality of network interfaces identified as the network interface for establishing the network connection with the second network device and the application based cross-layer agent for a duration of the network connection, thereby providing a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture for the network connection.

7 more elements

A method of operation of a network device to interconnect an application based cross-layer agent and one of a plurality of network based cross-layer agents in the network device, the application based cross-layer agent associated with at least one high level protocol stack layer including an application layer and the plurality of network based cross-layer agents each associated with at least one low level protocol stack layer of a corresponding one of a plurality of network interfaces, comprising:

obtaining information identifying a second network device with which the application layer desires to establish a network connection;
identifying a one of the plurality of network interfaces as a network interface for establishing the network connection;
interconnecting the at least one high level protocol stack layer and the at least one low level protocol stack layer of the one of the plurality of network interfaces identified as the network interface for establishing the network connection;
and
interconnecting the application based cross-layer agent and the one of the plurality of network based cross-layer agents associated with the at least one low level protocol stack layer of the one of the plurality of network interfaces during the network connection such that a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture is provided for the network connection.

2 more elements

A system for interconnecting an application based cross-layer agent and one of a plurality of network based cross-layer agents in a network device, the application based cross-layer agent associated with at least one high level protocol stack layer including an application layer and the plurality of network based cross-layer agents each associated with at least one low level protocol stack layer of a corresponding one of a plurality of network interfaces, comprising:

means for obtaining information identifying a second network device with which the application layer desires to establish a network connection;
means for identifying a one of the plurality of network interfaces as a network interface for establishing the network connection;
means for interconnecting the at least one high level protocol stack layer and the at least one low level protocol stack layer of the one of the plurality of network interfaces identified as the network interface for establishing the network connection;
and
means for interconnecting the application based cross-layer agent and the one of the plurality of network based cross-layer agents associated with the at least one low level protocol stack layer of the one of the plurality of network interfaces during the network connection such that a complete protocol stack having a cross-layer architecture is provided for the network connection.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.