Patent ID: 6014715
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for automatically assigning a unique address to each port in a system including a plurality of interconnected components, each component having a plurality of ports, the method including the steps of:establishing a range of addresses available for assignment to ports, wherein the range of available addresses includes a plurality of domains and areas, each domain including a plurality of areas, each area including a plurality of addresses;granting initial control over the range of available addresses to a first component;assigning unique port addresses from the range of available addresses to the ports of the first component, wherein the step of assigning unique port addresses to the ports of the first component includes assigning addresses within a first domain and a first area of the first domain to the ports of the first component;transferring control over a first subset of the range of available addresses from the first component to a second component;assigning unique port addresses from the first subset of the range of available addresses to the ports of the second component;establishing the first component as a domain address manager in control of assigning addresses within the first domain, and as an area address manager in control of assigning addresses within the first area of the first domain;assigning predetermined addresses to the domain address manager for the first domain and the area address manager for the first area of the first domain so that they can be addressed by other components in the system;directing any request for an address within the first domain to the first component as the domain address manager for the first domain; anddirecting any request for an address within the first area of the first domain to the first component as the area address manager for the first area of the first domain.