Appeal No. 1997-0809
Application 08/033,599
links because each of the 2-tuples (e.g., N1:N3 from node 1
in figure 1) indicates both the network configuration and
the initialization status (connected) (col. 6, lines 21-22,
refers to the status of the direct links). Note that claim
13 does not require the "current status" as in claim 1. We
are reluctant to find that the connectivity reports sent in
a packet are not a network management major vector absent
some definition of that term in the claim or some argument
by Appellants.
Jolissaint appears to meet the broad limitation of
"means, responsive to inconsistencies between said status
and configuration data originated at said adjacent ones of
said nodes, for reporting said inconsistencies to said
centrally located means for collecting data." A node in
Jolissaint sends an error report to the network manager 30
after it senses that communication is no longer possible
over a link. That is, a node senses an "inconsistency"
between the initial status and configuration information at
the node (e.g., that there is a logical connection between
node 3 and node 4) and the actual status (i.e., unable to
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