Network addressing scheme encoding communication channel information

摘要

An addressing scheme is disclosed for a network wherein addresses of the scheme not only uniquely identify addressable process interfaces or nodes communicating with the network, but also each such address encodes information related to a communication channel utilized by the node to which the address is assigned in communicating with the network. Thus for each node communicating on a wide area network wherein the node resides on a local area network at a location having one or more local area networks, the address assigned to the node encodes information related to the node's location, the local area network through which the node communicates. Further, if the node communicates with the local area network through an intermediary device, then the address may also encode information related to communication channel characteristics between the node and the intermediary device. The addressing scheme is particularly applicable to internet protocol addressed networks.