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:
Jan. 04, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 16, 2006
Fabrice T P Saffre, Suffolk, GB;
Mark a Shackleton, Suffolk, GB;
Fabrice T P Saffre, Suffolk, GB;
Mark A Shackleton, Suffolk, GB;
BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company, London, GB;
Abstract
A virtual network has a plurality of nodes. Each node has the capability to provide a service to another node. Each node maintains a list for storing entries each representing a link to another node; each entry contains the address of the other node and a label identifying a service that that other node may provide. Each node also has a store for storing messages received from other nodes, these messages serving to propose a link and containing the identity of the node originating the message, a label identifying a service that that other node may provide and a label identifying a service that that other node requires. When a node needs a service that it is not itself able to provide, it searches the link list for a link having a label that matches the service needed, and in the event that such a link is found it transmits to the node identified by the link a message requesting the service. If, however, no such link is found, it searches the message store for a message identifying another node where the label identifying a service that that other node may provide matches the service needed and the label identifying a service that that other node requires matches the service that the node needing the service has the capability to provide. In the event that such a message is found it initiates the creation of a corresponding entry in the link list. If no such message is found, the node needing the service generates a message serving to propose a link and containing its own identity, a label identifying a service that it has the capability to provide and a label identifying the service that it needs.