Patent ID: 7912973
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In an environment that includes a first computing entity and a second computing entity that are capable of communicating with each other using a message exchange protocol that is extendible, a method for the first computing entity to negotiate one or more extensions to the message exchange protocol to be used in communicating using a message exchange with the second computing entity, the method comprising the following: an act of the first computing entity constructing first one or more protocol extension-identifying data structures that identify a first set of one or more extensions that the first computing entity is capable of implementing when communicating in a message exchange pattern with the second computing entity; an act of the first computing entity constructing a first message, the first message including the first one or more protocol extension identifying data structures; an act of the first computing entity providing the first message to the second computing entity; an act of the first computing entity receiving a second message from the second computing entity; an act of the first computing entity determining whether there is second one or more protocol extension-identifying data structures included in the second message that identify a second set of one or more extensions that the second computing entity is capable of implementing when communicating in the message exchange pattern with the first computing entity; an act of the first computing entity identifying that the message exchange pattern without extensions will be used in the message exchange protocol when there is an absence of the second one or more protocol extension-identifying data structures in the second message; and an act of the first computing entity identifying third one or more extensions that are actually to be used in the message exchange based on the first one or more extensions and the second one or more extensions when the second one or more protocol extension-identifying data structures exists in the second message.