Multiplex communications – Network configuration determination
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-05
2001-09-25
Vincent, David R. (Department: 2661)
Multiplex communications
Network configuration determination
C370S401000, C709S220000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295280
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications in networks and, more particularly, to a method for transferring information (station address, multi-cast address) concerning a network interface card (NIC) connected to a switching hub, into the switching hub by receiving and transmitting an information-demanding packet and a recognition packet between the switching hub and the Network Interface Card.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A conventional method for node recognition will be described with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1
is a structural schematic view of a network for describing a conventional method of node recognition, and
FIG. 2
is a structural block diagram of the switching hub of FIG.
1
.
As described in
FIG. 1
, a network is composed of a switching hub
11
and a plurality of stations
12
connected to the switching hub
11
for receiving and transmitting data to and from the switching hub
11
.
A software
11
a
for managing a switching hub is in the switching hub
11
. Each of the stations
12
includes a network interface card (NIC)
12
a
for transmitting and receiving data to and from the switching hub
11
and a software driver
12
b
for managing the NIC
12
a.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, the switching hub
11
is composed of a memory part
11
b
; a controller
11
c
for controlling the memory part
11
b
, the MACS
11
d
, and the overall operations of the switching hub
11
; a plurality of media access controllers (MAC)
11
d
connected to the controller
11
c
in parallel; and a plurality of physical layers (PHYs)
11
e
connected to each of the MACS
11
d
for making data suitable for communication protocol.
The MAC
11
d
converts data transmitted from a software driver
12
b
located in each station
12
into data suitable for Ethernet protocol for transmitting the converted data to the PHYs
11
e
, and transmits data from the PHY
11
e
to the software driver
12
b
. The PHY
11
e
converts a digital data signal transmitted from the MAC
11
d
into an electrical data signal, which is transmitted to another station
12
through a cable, and converts the electrical data signal transmitted through a cable into a digital data signal which is transmitted to the MAC
11
d.
FIG. 3
is a structural block diagram of the NIC of
FIG. 1
, which is composed of the PHY
11
e
for converting an electrical signal transmitted through a cable into a digital data signal, and the MAC
11
d
for transmitting the digital data signal to the software driver
12
b.
FIG. 4
is a structural block diagram of a conventional MAC which is composed of a receiving circuit
12
c
for receiving a data signal transmitted from the PHY
11
e
, a first buffer
12
d
for storing the data signal received by the receiving circuit
12
c
for a predetermined time, a system interface
12
e
for interfacing the data signal outputted from the first buffer
12
d
for making the data signal suitable for system protocol, a second buffer
12
f
for temporarily storing the data signal outputted from the system interface
12
e
, and a transmitting circuit
12
g
for transmitting the data signal stored in the second buffer
12
f
to the PHY
11
e.
Since, in the network, the switching hub
11
selectively relays data, the switching hub
11
has to know the address and other information of each station
12
having an NIC
12
a
therein.
The communication process between the switching hub
11
and the NIC
12
a
in each station
12
will be described below.
First, the switching hub
11
prepares an information table for each station
12
and transmits data to a station
12
although the switching hub
11
may have no information regarding the station
12
it transmits to. For example, a station that the switching hub
11
has no information about would be a newly added station. If a station is newly added, the switching hub
11
does not recognize the new station address and cannot form an information table for the new station. Accordingly, the switching hub
11
unnecessarily transmits data to the new station
12
that it has no information about, because the switching hub
11
cannot determine whether the new station
12
actually wants to receive data.
Since the switching hub
11
transmits all data into newly-added stations, the newly-added stations have relatively heavy data traffic. If a packet is sent into the switching hub
11
from the newly-added station
12
which has received all the data transmitted from the switching hub
11
, the switching hub
11
then analyzes the packet so as to form an information table. Once the information table has been formed, the switching hub
11
transmits data into the stations
12
according to the information table.
FIG. 5
shows a packet transmitted from the switching hub
11
to each station
12
. All data are transmitted in the unit of packets. First, a source address (SA) and then a destination address (DA) are successively recorded in the packet. Thereafter, the size and form of the data are recorded. Subsequently, the packet in which the foregoing information is recorded is transmitted from the switching hub
11
to each station
12
, and from each station
12
back to the switching hub
11
. Accordingly, if a station is newly added, the packet does not indicate whether the new station wants to receive data.
A conventional method for node recognition has the following problems.
First, until a data is sent from a newly-added station, a switching hub cannot form an information table, thereby increasing data traffic of the newly-added station.
Second, if two or more stations are newly added, traffic of the entire network becomes heavier in case of employing a multi-cast technique, although data are sent from the newly-added stations so that the switching hub forms information tables.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention is directed to a method for node recognition that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
The invention provides a method for node recognition in which an information demanding packet is recognized and a recognition packet is transmitted by a station, more particularly, by a network interface card in the station, allowing a switching hub to easily form an information table, thereby preventing the increase of data traffic even when multi-cast techniques are used.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the method for node recognition in data transmission between a switching hub and a plurality of NICs includes the steps of transmitting an information demanding signal demanding information concerning each of the network interface cards; transmitting information of the NIC and a signal of whether or not there is a node recognition demand according to the information-demanding signal; and forming an information table by use of the transmitted information and outputting data into the NIC which has sent the signal of whether or not there is a node recognition demand.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5446735 (1995-08-01), Tobagi et al.
patent: 5706440 (1998-01-01), Compliment et al.
patent: 5907544 (1999-05-01), Rypinski
patent: 5920699 (1999-07-01), Bare
patent: 5982778 (1999-11-01), Mangin et al.
patent: 6044076 (2000-03-01), Yamamoto
Stevens, TCP/IP Illustrated, vol. 1, pp. 56-58, 1994.
Hyundai Electronics Industries Co,. Ltd.
Vincent David R.
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