The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 13, 1994
Joseph M Mosley, Boca Raton, FL (US);
Walter N Zalph, Boca Raton, FL (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A network protection method and apparatus are disclosed for alerting an operator when a terminal device is disconnected from the network. A network controller adapter is connected to a network control computer. The network controller periodically stops normal data communication and scans some or all of the network ports to ascertain the present and absent status of a terminal device at each port. Status is detected by passing a current through a port and measuring the feedback voltage. If the status changes between scans, an operator is alerted by sounding an alarm at the network control computer or by other steps such as dialing a telephone number and transmitting a stored message or by transmitting an alarm message over the network to one of the terminal devices such as a personal computer.