Patent ID: 7839768

Claim:
A network node for operation in a redundant network having a plurality of nodes comprising: an Ethernet switch having first and second network ports; first and second processors in communication with the Ethernet switch, the first processor connected to the first network port and the second processor connected to the second network port, the processors being configured to determine whether the network node is a master node from among the plurality of nodes in the network, where determining includes: sending a configuration packet to each node in the network, the configuration packet comprising an identification number representing the node in the network from which the configuration packet originates, where each node in the network has a unique identification number, and; comparing the identification number in configuration packets received by the node to the identification number for the node, where the master node is designated based on the comparison of the value of the identification numbers; and a means for creating a virtual break in the network at one of the network connections if the node determines that it is the master node; wherein each of the first and second processors implements a watchdog timer by executing instructions to: (a) initialize the watchdog timer and clear a watchdog timer bit; (b) monitor the network port for activity within a predetermined period of time, if there is no activity on the network port within the predetermined period of time, set the watchdog bit; (c) continue to monitor the network port for activity thereafter, and (i) if the port becomes active and receives a packet, set a receive packet bit and clear the watchdog bit, or (ii) if no packets are received on the network port, check the watchdog bit and if the watchdog bit is set, clear the receive packet bit.