Patent ID: 6188675
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A system for use in identifying the topology of a network having a plurality of nodes, each node having a port for transfer of a packet to a next adjacent node in the network, said system comprising:an all-node address indicator for selective insertion in a field of the packet according to whether a node address of the next adjacent node is known, wherein when inserted in the field of the packet, said all-node address indicator causes the packet to be received by the next adjacent node in the network notwithstanding that said node address of the next adjacent node in the network is unknown when forwarding the packet;means for selectively inserting the all-node address indicator into said field of said packet at each node in the network with a known node address when said node with a known address has a next adjacent node in the network with an unknown node address to address and thereby identify said next adjacent node; andwherein said means for selectively inserting comprises means for not inserting the all-node address indicator when said node with a known address has a next adjacent node with a known address.