Patents by Inventor Dennis C. Ferguson
Dennis C. Ferguson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9258228Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2014Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Rajiv Patel, Gerald Cheung, Pradeep Sindhu
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Patent number: 9185046Abstract: A network device includes multiple packet processing engines implemented in parallel with one another. A spraying component distributes incoming packets to the packet processing engines using a spraying technique that load balances the packet processing engines. In particular, the spraying component distributes the incoming packets based on queue lengths associated with the packet processing engines and based on a random component. In one implementation, the random component is a random selection from all the candidate processing engines. In another implementation, the random component is a weighted random selection in which the weights are inversely proportional to the queue lengths.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2013Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Chi-Chung Chen, Thomas M. Skibo
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Publication number: 20150156112Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2014Publication date: June 4, 2015Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Rajiv PATEL, Gerald CHEUNG, Pradeep SINDHU
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Publication number: 20150019938Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-line processing a data packet while routing the packet through a router in a system transmitting data packets between a source and a destination over a network including the router. The method includes receiving the data packet and pre-processing layer header data for the data packet as the data packet is received and prior to transferring any portion of the data packet to packet memory. The data packet is thereafter stored in the packet memory. A routing through the router is determined including a next hop index describing the next connection in the network. The data packet is retrieved from the packet memory and a new layer header for the data packet is constructed from the next hop index while the data packet is being retrieved from memory. The new layer header is coupled to the data packet prior to transfer from the router.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2014Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventors: Rasoul Mirzazadeh OSKOUY, Dennis C. FERGUSON, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese LIM, Pradeep S. SINDHU, Sreeram VEERAGANDHAM, Jeff ZIMMER, Michael M.Y. HUI
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Publication number: 20140347995Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a lookup in a switching device of a packet switched network where the lookup includes a plurality of distinct operations each of which returns a result that includes a pointer to a next operation in a sequence of operations for the lookup. The method includes determining a first lookup operation to be executed, executing the first lookup operation including returning a result and determining if the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation in the sequence of operations. If the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation, the lookup operation indicated by the result is executed. Else, the lookup is terminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Rajiv PATEL, Gerald CHEUNG, Pradeep S. SINDHU
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Patent number: 8879395Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2013Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Rajiv Patel, Gerald Cheung, Pradeep Sindhu
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Patent number: 8867543Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-line processing a data packet while routing the packet through a router in a system transmitting data packets between a source and a destination over a network including the router. The method includes receiving the data packet and pre-processing layer header data for the data packet as the data packet is received and prior to transferring any portion of the data packet to packet memory. The data packet is thereafter stored in the packet memory. A routing through the router is determined including a next hop index describing the next connection in the network. The data packet is retrieved from the packet memory and a new layer header for the data packet is constructed from the next hop index while the data packet is being retrieved from memory. The new layer header is coupled to the data packet prior to transfer from the router.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2011Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Rasoul Mirzazadeh Oskouy, Dennis C. Ferguson, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese Lim, Pradeep S. Sindhu, Sreeram Veeragandham, Jeff Zimmer, Michael M. Y. Hui
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Patent number: 8804739Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a lookup in a switching device of a packet switched network where the lookup includes a plurality of distinct operations each of which returns a result that includes a pointer to a next operation in a sequence of operations for the lookup. The method includes determining a first lookup operation to be executed, executing the first lookup operation including returning a result and determining if the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation in the sequence of operations. If the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation, the lookup operation indicated by the result is executed. Else, the lookup is terminated.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Rajiv Patel, Gerald Cheung, Pradeep S. Sindhu
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Publication number: 20140181235Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching a data packet between a source and destination in a network. The data packet includes a header portion and a data portion. The header portion includes routing information for the data packet. The method includes defining a data path in the router comprising a path through the router along which the data portion of the data packet travels and defining a control path comprising a path through the router along which routing information from the header portion travels. The method includes separating the data path and control path in the router such that the routing information can be separated from the data portion allowing for the separate processing of each in the router. The data portion can be stored in a global memory while routing decisions are made on the routing information in the control path.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2014Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Pradeep S. SINDHU, Kireeti Kompella, Dennis C. Ferguson, Bjorn O. Liencres, Nalini Agarwal, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese Lim, Rasoul Mirzazadeh Oskouy, Sreeram Veeragandham
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Patent number: 8681796Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching a data packet between a source and destination in a network. The data packet includes a header portion and a data portion. The header portion includes routing information for the data packet. The method includes defining a data path in the router comprising a path through the router along which the data portion of the data packet travels and defining a control path comprising a path through the router along which routing information from the header portion travels. The method includes separating the data path and control path in the router such that the routing information can be separated from the data portion allowing for the separate processing of each in the router. The data portion can be stored in a global memory while routing decisions are made on the routing information in the control path.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Pradeep S. Sindhu, Kireeti Kompella, Dennis C. Ferguson, Bjorn O. Liencres, Nalini Agarwal, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese Lim, Rasoul Mirzazadeh Oskouy, Sreeram Veeragandham
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Patent number: 8611216Abstract: Ordering logic ensures that data items being processed by a number of parallel processing units are unloaded from the processing units in the original per-flow order that the data items were loaded into the parallel processing units. The ordering logic includes a pointer memory, a tail vector, and a head vector. Through these three elements, the ordering logic keeps track of a number of “virtual queues” corresponding to the data flows. A round robin arbiter unloads data items from the processing units only when a data item is at the head of its virtual queue.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Philippe Lacroute, Chi-Chung Chen, Gerald Cheung, Tatao Chuang, Pankaj Patel, Viswesh Ananthakrishnan
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Publication number: 20130308644Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Rajiv PATEL, Gerald CHEUNG, Pradeep SINDHU
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Publication number: 20130223224Abstract: A network device includes multiple packet processing engines implemented in parallel with one another. A spraying component distributes incoming packets to the packet processing engines using a spraying technique that load balances the packet processing engines. In particular, the spraying component distributes the incoming packets based on queue lengths associated with the packet processing engines and based on a random component. In one implementation, the random component is a random selection from all the candidate processing engines. In another implementation, the random component is a weighted random selection in which the weights are inversely proportional to the queue lengths.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2013Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Chi-Chung Chen, Thomas M. Skibo
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Patent number: 8503304Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Rajiv Patel, Gerald Cheung, Pradeep Sindhu
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Patent number: 8477784Abstract: A router for switching data packets from a source to a destination in a network in which the router includes a distributed memory. The distributed memory includes two or more memory banks. Each memory bank is used for storing uniform portions of a data packet received from a source and linking information for each data packet to allow for the extraction of the uniform portions of a data packet from distributed locations in memory in proper order after a routing determination has been made by the router.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Pradeep S. Sindhu, Dennis C. Ferguson, Bjorn O. Liencres, Nalini Agarwal, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese Lim, Rasoul Mirzazadeh Oskouy, Sreeram Veeragandham
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Patent number: 8416686Abstract: A network device includes multiple packet processing engines implemented in parallel with one another. A spraying component distributes incoming packets to the packet processing engines using a spraying technique that load balances the packet processing engines. In particular, the spraying component distributes the incoming packets based on queue lengths associated with the packet processing engines and based on a random component. In one implementation, the random component is a random selection from all the candidate processing engines. In another implementation, the random component is a weighted random selection in which the weights are inversely proportional to the queue lengths.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Chi-Chung Chen, Thomas M. Skibo
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Publication number: 20120297083Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Rajiv PATEL, Gerald CHEUNG, Pradeep SINDHU
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Publication number: 20120275459Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a lookup in a switching device of a packet switched network where the lookup includes a plurality of distinct operations each of which returns a result that includes a pointer to a next operation in a sequence of operations for the lookup. The method includes determining a first lookup operation to be executed, executing the first lookup operation including returning a result and determining if the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation in the sequence of operations. If the result includes a pointer to another lookup operation, the lookup operation indicated by the result is executed. Else, the lookup is terminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: November 1, 2012Applicant: JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.Inventors: Dennis C. FERGUSON, Rajiv PATEL, Gerald CHEUNG, Pradeep S. SINDHU
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Publication number: 20120219001Abstract: A method and apparatus for switching a data packet between a source and destination in a network. The data packet includes a header portion and a data portion. The header portion includes routing information for the data packet. The method includes defining a data path in the router comprising a path through the router along which the data portion of the data packet travels and defining a control path comprising a path through the router along which routing information from the header portion travels. The method includes separating the data path and control path in the router such that the routing information can be separated from the data portion allowing for the separate processing of each in the router. The data portion can be stored in a global memory while routing decisions are made on the routing information in the control path.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2012Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Pradeep S. SINDHU, Kireeti Kompella, Dennis C. Ferguson, Bjorn O. Liencres, Nalini Agarwal, Hann-Hwan Ju, Raymond Marcelino Manese Lim, Rasoul Mirzazadeh Oskouy, Sreeram Veeragandham
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Patent number: 8238246Abstract: Methods and devices for processing packets are provided. The processing device may Include an input interface for receiving data units containing header information of respective packets; a first module configurable to perform packet filtering based on the received data units; a second module configurable to perform traffic analysis based on the received data units; a third module configurable to perform load balancing based on the received data units; and a fourth module configurable to perform route lookups based on the received data units.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2011Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.Inventors: Dennis C. Ferguson, Rajiv Patel, Gerald Cheung, Pradeep Sindhu