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. 25, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1998
Ballard C. Bare, Auburn, CA (US);
Bruce W. Melvin, Roseville, CA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Developmemt Company, L.P., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A laptop computer is coupled to a first port of a network hub for the purpose of assigning a logical address to it. The network manager depresses a front panel button on the hub to activate a logical address learn mode. The network manager types a “ping” command into the laptop, specifying as the logical destination address the address to be adopted by the hub. The laptop, unable to find a matching physical address for the logical address, issues an address-resolution packet (ARP). The hub responds by adopting the destination address as its logical address and exiting learn mode; the hub replies with its physical address. The laptop, now informed of the hub's physical address, issues the ping request. The hub responds normally to this request, providing confirmation at the laptop that the logical address has been properly assigned. The present invention thus provides for hubs and other network infrastructure devices that can be programmed using universally available commands and without dedicated non-network ports.