Patent ID: 6144669
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for processing link status messages in a networking device operative to communicate with another networking device in accordance with a communications protocol, the link status messages communicating the status of an associated message relay link between said networking devices, a first number of the link status messages each being associated with a predetermined response interval, wherein a failure to respond to a link status message within said predetermined response interval will result in the said associated message relay link being declared inoperative, said method comprising the steps of:(a) determining whether link status messages received by the device belong to any one of a plurality of predetermined message classes, the message classes being associated with a response priority hierarchy comprised of a plurality of response priority levels which varies progressively from highest priority for a message class comprised of link status messages having relatively short predetermined response intervals to lowest priority for a message class comprised of link status messages having relatively long predetermined response intervals, and wherein each message class is respectively assigned one of said response priority levels of said hierarchy; andb) storing the link status messages in a memory wherein messages of each said class may be separately retrieved from messages of the other said classes.