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:
Mar. 11, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 14, 1998
Separately powered network interface for reporting the activity states of a network connected client
Daryl Carvis Cromer, Cary, NC (US);
Brandon Jon Ellison, Raleigh, NC (US);
Eric R. Kern, Durham, NC (US);
Gregory William Kilmer, Raleigh, NC (US);
Howard Locker, Cary, NC (US);
Randall Scott Springfield, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
James Peter Ward, Raleigh, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An intelligent network interface monitors activity states of a client and reports them to a network manager using a single network connection. The network interface monitors interrupts occurring on the client, derives activity states from the interrupts, and logs the activity states on the network interface. An activity state specifies whether the client is in a hung state, but may also specify whether the client is off, sleeping, inactive, or active. The network interface may periodically report the activity states to the network manager or report upon receiving a command. The network interface is preferably powered full time using a trickle power supply and therefore operates even when the remainder of the client is off. By including a processor or specialized logic on the network interface, the interface operates independently of the client operating system and therefore monitors and reports even when the client malfunctions.