Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer protocol implementing – Computer-to-computer data framing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-21
2002-02-05
Follansbee, John A. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer protocol implementing
Computer-to-computer data framing
C709S230000, C709S238000, C709S242000, C709S243000, C709S250000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06345302
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to computer networks and, more particularly, to an improved system and method of constructing data packets for transmission between computers in a system of computer networks.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A computer network includes multiple computers connected with a physical medium, such as a cable. Data sent from a source computer to a destination computer may be lost or changed because of congestion or noise in the network. Schemes exist to transmit data using a protocol that is “reliable,” meaning that the protocol guarantees accurate delivery of transmitted data. Operating a reliable communication protocol, however, has entailed substantial overhead in the network computers.
More particularly, approaches exist for improving the performance of a computer's implementation of a reliable communication protocol. For example, a technique exists for performing one aspect of a common protocol suite (TCP/IP) in hardware. Request for Comment (RFC) 1936, “Implementing the Internet Checksum in Hardware,” describes a technique for performing a calculation in hardware that is required by various communication protocols.
In addition, approaches exist which combine the calculations described above with additional hardware to efficiently handle interrupts. One such approach, described in the white paper, “Next Generation Adapter Design and Optimization for Gigabit Ethernet” by Alteon Networks, involves handling multiple communication protocol interrupts in hardware. This alleviates the need for the main computer processor to handle multiple interrupts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for efficiently operating a reliable communication protocol in a computer network. In particular, the present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for constructing a portion of an acknowledgement signal to be sent upon successful receipt of an incoming signal.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a protocol processing subsystem receives data from another computer in a computer network. Upon successful receipt of the data, the protocol calls for construction of an acknowledgement signal to be sent from the receiving computer to the sending computer. The protocol processing subsystem of the present invention automatically constructs this acknowledgement signal. In the preferred embodiment, the construction of this acknowledgement signal occurs in hardware which alleviates the need for the protocol processing software to construct the acknowledgement signal. This results in a significant improvement in system performance over systems according to the prior art.
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Bennett Toby D.
Davis Donald J.
Harris Jonathan C.
Miller Ian D.
Burdett James R.
El-Hady Nabil
TSI TelSys Inc.
Venable
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