Patent ID: 6330614
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
In a network system for exchanging information between two or more computer hosts connected to the system with the aid of datagram headers of predetermined size for routing and forwarding the information, with the headers containing source and destination network address fields and other service and identification fields, including a checksum field space originally intended for generating checksums guaranteeing the validity of the header, a method of extending the usefulness of the headers and providing a substitute use for the novel checksum field space) that comprises, eliminating the checksum functions normally performed at the nodes of the network system with their attendant checksum processing time and normally occupying said checksum field space in the header; and substituting in the checksum field space one or more of further source host and destination host addresses of lesser processing time, autonomous system numbers, higher layer protocol-base routing information, Virtual Private Network identifiers, and MPLS protocols.