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:
Sep. 07, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 25, 1999
Radia J. Perlman, Acton, MA (US);
Joseph E. Provino, Cambridge, MA (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for providing deferred processing of information within a received data unit. An indication of a deferrable processing option in a received packet is detected, such as a particular option type or flag, as well as other deferred processing control parameters, and some relevant portion of the packet is stored. The received packet may then be forwarded out of the device, without waiting for the deferred processing to be completed. The deferred processing may be performed in parallel, or subsequent to, forwarding of the packet. The disclosed system is embodied in a networking device such as a router, which includes a fast processing path for packet forwarding functions, and a relatively slow processing path for other functions such as network management. Detection of the deferred processing indication and copying of the relevant packet portion are performed in the fast path. Deferred processing itself may be performed in the slow path.