Hybrid Bridge Selective Table Population for Loop Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bridging mechanisms in hybrid communication networks face issues with communication loops, frame replication, unintended frame discarding, and non-optimal route usage due to multiple transmission routes between network devices, which are not adequately addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid bridge device determines preferred transmission routes based on topology discovery messages and selectively populates its local and remote bridge tables to prevent communication loops and ensure optimal frame routing, influencing both hybrid and legacy devices to use these routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple transmission routes are provided between network devices in a hybrid communication network, then network redundancy and connectivity are improved, but communication loops and frame replication occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining preferred transmission routes in advance using topology discovery messages before actual frame transmission occurs. The hybrid network layer pre-calculates and stores the optimal path information, so when frames need to be transmitted, the route is already determined and stored in bridge tables, preventing communication loops and frame replication while maintaining multiple transmission routes for redundancy
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bridging mechanisms are used in hybrid communication networks, then frame forwarding between different network technologies is enabled, but frame discarding and non-optimal route usage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the bridge table population selective rather than universal. Instead of using conventional bridging mechanisms that uniformly forward frames, the hybrid network layer selectively populates bridge tables only for preferred transmission routes. This local quality approach ensures that frame forwarding capability is maintained while routing efficiency is improved by directing frames only through optimal paths
3Extent of automation
If bridge tables are populated using conventional source address learning, then automatic route discovery is achieved, but unintended frame discarding and route changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces topology discovery messages as an intermediary mechanism between source address learning and bridge table population. Instead of directly using source address learning which causes unintended frame discarding, the hybrid network layer uses topology discovery messages to gather network information and determine preferred routes, then uses this information to selectively populate bridge tables, ensuring frame delivery consistency while maintaining automation
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid bridge can implement functionality for selectively populating its bridge tables based on preferred transmission routes to influence other network devices to transmit frames based on the preferred transmission routes. The hybrid bridge determines a preferred transmission route for communicating with each network device in the hybrid communication network. For each of the network devices, it is determined whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route associated with the network device. Depending on whether the hybrid bridge is part of the preferred transmission route to the network device and/or whether a network interface of the hybrid bridge is a transmit or a receive interface on the preferred transmission route, a local bridge table or a remote bridge table of the network interface can be populated with at least the address of a destination network device.