Network repeater
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsVeronica Romero, David Ruiz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network repeater is configured to repeat data packets in a broadcast mode without generating a significant broadcast storm. The network repeater is configured to detect a characteristic of a received data packet. The data packet characteristic is compared with valid copies of packet characteristics previously stored in a packet registry. During a delay period, if a valid copy of the detected characteristic is found in the packet registry, then it is assumed that the packet is being received for the second time and the data packet is not repeated in the broadcast mode. If a valid copy of the detected characteristic of the data packet is not found in the packet registry, then the characteristic is stored in the packet registry and the data packet is repeated in a broadcast mode.
Claims20
A repeater comprising:
- an input/output interface;
- a packet registry;
- and
- logic configured to
- receive data packets from the input/output interface and selectively repeat the data packets back out through the input/output interface,
- repeat a received data packet determined to be a copy of a previously received data packet, in response to receiving the copy after a predetermined time measured from a time of receipt of a previously received data packet has elapsed, and
- not repeat a received data packet determined to be a copy of a previously received data packet, in response to receiving the copy within the predetermined time measured from the time of receipt of the previously received data packet.
A repeater comprising:
- an input/output configured to receive a data packet using an IEEE 802.3 standard;
- a packet registry configured to store a valid copy of a characteristic of a preceding data packet;
- a registry manager configured to maintain the valid copy in the packet registry;
- logic configured
- to detect the characteristic of a received data packet,
- to determine if the valid copy stored in the packet registry matches the characteristic of the received data packet, and
- to not repeat the received data packet if the valid copy matches the characteristic of the received data packet;
- a circuit configured to execute the logic;
- and
- wherein the registry manager or logic is configured such that the valid copy becomes invalid after a delay time.
A method comprising:
- receiving a first data packet from a first communication network at a first time;
- determining a characteristic of the first data packet;
- determining that the characteristic of the first data packet does not match any valid characteristic stored in a packet registry;
- storing the characteristic of the first data packet in the packet registry and repeating the first data packet over a second communication network;
- receiving a second data packet at a second time after the first time and within a predetermined time of the first time;
- determining a characteristic of the second data packet;
- matching the characteristic of the second data packet to the characteristic of the first data packet and discarding the second packet;
- and
- marking the characteristic of the first data packet in the packet registry as invalid after the predetermined period of time has elapsed from the receipt of the first data packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.