Patent EP-0822685-A2 (EP)
Inventor: PRZYGIENDA ANTONI B
IPC: H04L12/26
Filed: 1997-07-31
Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for monitoring
a node. The method comprises the steps of receiving new
information about the node. Then, there is the step of comparing
the new information about the node with old information about the
node. Then, there is the step of updating the old information with
the new information by incrementing the old information with the
new information. The present invention pertains to a method for
monitoring an other node. The method comprises the steps of
storing an old packet from an other node having at least a first
element in a memory of a node. Then, there is the step of
receiving a new packet from the other node having at least a first
element by the node. Next there is the step of comparing the first
element of the new packet with the first element of the old packet.
Then there is the step of inserting the first element of the new
packet in an order which is in front of the first element of the
old packet in the memory if the first element of the new packet is
different than the first element of the old packet. The present
invention pertains to a node for a communication network. The node
comprises a mechanism for transmitting information about itself to
an other node. The node comprises a mechanism for receiving
information about the other node. The node also comprises a
mechanism for maintaining information about itself and the other
node. The maintaining mechanism is connected to the transmitting
mechanism and the receiving mechanism. The node comprises a
mechanism for comparing new information, received from the other
node to old information previously received from the other node and
updating the old information with the new information. The
maintaining mechanism is connected to the comparing mechanism. The 
present invention pertains to a system for communication. The
system comprises a network of nodes. Each node is connected to at
least one other node and in communication with all other nodes
through the nodes to which it is connected. Each node comprises a
mechanism for communicating with an other node. Each node also
comprises a mechanism for maintaining information about itself and
the other node. The maintaining mechanism is connected to the
communicating mechanism. Also, each node comprises a mechanism for
comparing new information received from the other node to old
information previously received from the other node and updating
the old information with the new information by incrementing the
old information with the new information. The present invention
pertains to a node for a communication network. The node comprises
a mechanism for transmitting information about itself to an other
node. The node comprises a mechanism for receiving information
about the other node. The node also comprises a mechanism for
maintaining information about itself and the other node. The
maintaining mechanism is connected to the transmitting mechanism
and the receiving mechanism. The node comprises a mechanism for
comparing new information, received from the other node to old
information previously received from the other node and updating
the old information with the new information. The maintaining
mechanism is connected to the comparing mechanism.