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:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 24, 1996
Robert M McGuire, Roseville, CA (US);
Robert L Faulk, Jr, Roseville, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Automatic device segmentation and port-to-segment distribution is provided in an electronic network. During a power-on sequence, the hardware and software of a network device determines if there is sufficient reason to segment a hub. Once a determination is made that there is a need for segmentation, the hub's ports are automatically divided into different segments in accordance with a predetermined port assignment scheme, such as by a predetermined port assignment (port 1 segment 1, port 2 segment 2, . . . ); assigning ports to different segments by cycling through the number of segments available as the ports become active; randomly assigning ports to the available segments; and using a negotiating mechanism to determine which ports go on which segments, where this latter approach may be based on such factors as the MAC address, the IP address, a virtual LAN identifier, any packet sent on the network, the existence of a manually operable switch, a cable determined by unique cable groups, or external wires or signals.