Kevin J Dunlap

US Patent:

52788296, Jan 11, 1994

Filed:

Jan 10, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/639553

Inventors:

Kevin J. Dunlap - Kirkland WA

Assignee:

Digital Equipment Corporation - Maynard MA

International Classification:

H04J 324

US Classification:

370 941

Abstract:

A protocol is provided in which a sending host stores a physical address of a target host as part of the resolution of the physical address from a network address; the sending host keeps track of the elapsed time after physical address storage; upon a subsequent usage of the stored physical address, the sending host tests for the validity of the stored physical address; if the stored physical address is still valid, the sending host can use it to transmit data to the target host; if the stored physical address is no longer valid, then the sending host transmits a broadcast packet onto the network to resolve the physical address of the target host.