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US 8,045,553 B2Granted
Processing, forming, modifying, and comparing packet data structures
AssigneeCiena Corporation
InventorsBruce T. Jorgens, Brian R. Town
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Packet data structure formation methods include receiving a request to create a data structure for representing a packet. The request may refer to two or more fields to be included in the packet. The methods further include determining bit values and packet positions associated with the fields and, based on the determining, creating a set of bits comprising the packet. The set of bits include the bit values in the packet positions. The method further includes storing the set of bits using the data structure.
Claims27
A packet data structure formation method comprising:
- receiving a request to create a data structure for representing a packet, the request referring to two or more fields to be included in the packet;
- determining bit values and packet positions associated with the fields;
- based on the determining, creating a first set of bits comprising the packet, the first set of bits comprising the bit values in the packet positions;
- receiving a request to add an additional field to the packet, the request comprising an identifier identifying the additional field and a value in a first format;
- converting the value from the first format to a second format wherein the value, when in the second format, comprises a second set of bits;
- based on the identifier, determining a position within the packet where the second set of bits are to be located;
- modifying the first set of bits to include the second set of bits at the positions;
- and
- transmitting the modified first set of bits to a device via a network interface.
6 more elements
A packet data structure modification method comprising:
- providing a data structure comprising a first set of bits representing a packet;
- receiving a request to modify the data structure, the request comprising an identifier identifying a packet field and a value, the value being in a first format;
- converting the value from the first format to a second format wherein the value, when in the second format, comprises a second set of bits;
- based on the identifier, determining a position within the packet where the second set of bits are to be located;
- modifying the first set of bits to include the second set of bits at the position;
- and
- transmitting the modified first set of bits to a device via a network interface.
4 more elements
A packet data structure modification method comprising:
- providing a data structure comprising a first set of bits representing a packet;
- receiving a request to modify the data structure, the request comprising an identifier identifying a packet field;
- based on the identifier, identifying a subset of the set of bits that comprise the packet field;
- removing the subset from the set of bits;
- receiving a request to add an additional field to the packet, the request comprising an additional identifier identifying the additional field and a value in a first format;
- converting the value from the first format to a second format wherein the value, when in the second format, comprises a second set of bits;
- based on the additional identifier, determining a position within the packet where the second set of bits are to be located;
- modifying the first set of bits to include the second set of bits at the position;
- and
- transmitting the modified first set of bits to a device via a network interface.
7 more elements
An article of manufacture comprising:
- processing circuitry configured to:
- access a first set of bits of a packet;
- determine two or more fields are present within the set of bits;
- based on the determining, partition the set of bits into two or more subsets of the set of bits, the two or more subsets corresponding to the two or more fields;
- associate identifiers with the two or more fields, the two or more fields being associated with different identifiers relative to one another;
- create a data structure configured to allow the two or more subsets corresponding to the two or more fields to be individually modified by referring to the identifiers associated with the fields;
- receive a request to add an additional field to the packet, the request comprising an additional identifier identifying the additional field and a value in a first format;
- convert the value from the first format to a second format wherein the value, when in the second format, comprises a second set of bits;
- based on the additional identifier, determine a position within the packet where the second set of bits are to be located;
- modify the first set of bits to include the second set of bits at the position;
- and
- transmit the modified first set of bits to a device via a network interface.
9 more elements
A packet data structure comparison method comprising:
- accessing a first packet data structure comprising a first set of bits and a second packet data structure comprising a second set of bits;
- comparing the first set of bits to the second set of bits;
- based on the comparing, identifying at least one third set of bits present in the first set of bits but not present in the second set of bits;
- determining that the third set of bits comprises a field of the first packet that is either not present in the second packet or that is present in the second packet but has a value in the first packet that is different than a value of the field in the second packet;
- based on the determining, communicating a difference between the first packet and the second packet using an identifier of the field;
- receiving a request to add an additional field to one or more of the first packet and the second packet, the request comprising an additional identifier identifying the additional field and a value in a first format;
- converting the value from the first format to a second format wherein the value, when in the second format, comprises an additional set of bits;
- based on the additional identifier, determining a position within the corresponding packet where the additional set of bits are to be located;
- modifying the corresponding set of bits to include the additional set of bits at the position;
- and
- testing a packet switch using the first packet and the second packet.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.