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:
Dec. 06, 2016
Filed:
Feb. 23, 2012
Robert John Briscoe, London, GB;
Robert John Briscoe, London, GB;
BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company, London, GB;
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for obtaining and processing information from a predetermined portion of a header of a data item such as an IP packet transmitted via a communication network such as a packet network, the portion carrying a codepoint selected from a first set of codepoints each of which has a pre-defined meaning according to a first pre-defined communication protocol. The method comprises: receiving the data item; inspecting the header whereby to determine the codepoint carried by the predetermined portion thereof; identifying whether the codepoint is a member of a second set of codepoints, the second set comprising fewer possible codepoints than the first set; and in the event that the codepoint is identified as being a member of the second set, and in dependence on such an identification being made, interpreting that codepoint according to a different pre-defined communication protocol as having a different pre-defined meaning and routing the data item via the communication network via the second pre-defined communication protocol.