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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 17, 2009

Filed:

Oct. 01, 2003
Applicants:

Mark L. Wilkinson, Austin, TX (US);

Ronald J. Miller, Kyle, TX (US);

Michael J. Mcdaniels, Hutto, TX (US);

Inventors:

Mark L. Wilkinson, Austin, TX (US);

Ronald J. Miller, Kyle, TX (US);

Michael J. McDaniels, Hutto, TX (US);

Assignee:

Mirage Networks, Inc., Austin, TX (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04L 9/32 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A system and method for tracking communication for determining device states. Communication between devices is observed and a respective state of at least one device is inferred. The inference is formed without directly communicating with the device. Various states of the devices include unknown, used, unfulfilled, virtual, omitted, and automatic. The respective state of a device is unknown when the observation shows that the device fails to respond to communication. The respective state of the device is unfulfilled when an ARP request comprising a destination address for the device is observed, and the device does not respond to the ARP request prior to expiration of a time limit. The respective state of a device is determined to be virtual when the observation shows that the device received a packet when its respective state was unfulfilled, and the device did not send a reply to the packet within a time limit.


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