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:
Apr. 21, 2015

Filed:

Sep. 18, 2009
Applicants:

Wael William Diab, San Francisco, CA (US);

Michael Johas Teener, Santa Cruz, CA (US);

Inventors:

Wael William Diab, San Francisco, CA (US);

Michael Johas Teener, Santa Cruz, CA (US);

Assignee:

Broadcom Corporation, Irvine, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04L 12/26 (2006.01); H04L 12/935 (2013.01); H04L 29/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H04L 49/3054 (2013.01); Y02B 60/44 (2013.01); Y02B 60/43 (2013.01); H04L 69/324 (2013.01);
Abstract

A network device and an adjacent network device may autonegotiate for utilization of an OSI layer 2 protocol for exchanging control information. The network device may generate and/or communicate to the adjacent network device, Ethernet frames comprising the control information based on the OSI layer 2 protocol. OSI layer 2 capabilities status and/or MAC address of the adjacent network device may be received and/or stored during auto-negotiation. An Ethertype and/or LLDP Ethertype may be set within the Ethernet frames to indicate utilization of the OSI layer 2 protocol. Payload within the Ethernet frames may be populated with control information that is encapsulated in a non-standardized or standardized discovery protocol frame and/or a LLDPDU. The control information may comprise device capabilities and/or communication parameters. Subsequent Ethernet frames comprising other content may be communicated to the adjacent network device based on the control information.


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