1-27. (canceled)
28. A method comprising:
receiving a packet including a source address;
generating a hash value using a portion of the source address; and
determining whether to transmit a redirect message based on a first interface on which the packet is received, a second interface on which the packet is to be transmitted, the generated hash value, and a stored hash value.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
comparing the generated hash value to the stored hash value.
30. The method of claim 29, where the determining whether to transmit the redirect message is based on the comparison of the generated hash value to the stored hash value.
31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
comparing the first interface to the second interface.
32. The method of claim 31, where the determining whether to transmit the redirect message is based on the comparison of the first interface to the second interface.
33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
comparing the generated hash value to the stored hash value; and
comparing the first interface to the second interface.
34. The method of claim 33, where the determining whether to transmit the redirect message is based on the comparison of the generated hash value to the stored hash value and the comparison of the first interface to the second interface.
35. The method of claim 34, where, when the first interface and the second interface are the same and the generated hash value equals the stored hash value, the method further comprises:
indicating that a redirect message is required; and
transmitting the redirect message to a host processor.
36. The method of claim 28, where the hash value is associated with an Internet Protocol source address of the packet.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:
generating the hash value using a predetermined number of significant bits of the IP source address.
38. A device, comprising:
an input device to receive a data packet, including a source address, from an interface, the input device including a memory containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate forwarding information identifying a next hop for the data packet;
determine whether an index of the interface is the same as an index of an interface on which the data packet is to be forwarded;
determine whether a device originating the data packet belongs to a subnet of the next hop;
generate a redirect message based on both determinations; and
transmit the generated redirect message.
39. The device of claim 38, where the redirect message includes next hop information for another data packet having a same destination address as the data packet.
40. The device of claim 38, where, when determining whether the device belongs to the same subnet as the next hop, the one or more processors are to:
identify an incoming index associated with the interface;
identify an outgoing interface index associated with the next hop; and
compare the incoming index to the outgoing index.
41. The device of claim 38, where the source address includes a number of bits and, when determining whether the device belongs to the same subnet as the next hop, the one or more processors are to:
select a portion of the number of bits of the source address of the data packet; and
generate a hash value using a hash function and the selected portion of the number bits.
42. The device of claim 41, where the one or more processors are further to:
compare the generated hash value to a stored hash value; and
determine that the device belongs to a same subnet as the next hop when the generated hash value equals the stored hash value.
43. A device, comprising:
an input device to receive a data packet, including a source address, from an interface, the input device including a memory containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate forwarding information identifying a next hop for the data packet;
determine whether the data packet is to be forwarded via the interface at which the data packet was received;
generate a hash value of the source address;
compare the generated hash value to a stored hash value; and
forward a message to a host processor indicating that a redirect message, associated with the received data packet, is required when:
the data packet is to be forwarded via the interface at which the data packet was received, and
the generated hash value equals the stored hash value.
44. The device of claim 43, where, when generating the hash value of the source address, the one or more processors are to:
generate the hash value using a predetermined number of significant bits of the source address.
45. The device of claim 43, where, when determining whether the data packet is to be forwarded via the interface at which the data packet was received, the one or more processors are to:
compare an incoming interface index and an outgoing interface index.
46. The device of claim 43, where the redirect information includes at least one of:
an outgoing interface value or a prefix length value associated with the hash value.
47. The device of claim 43, where the host processor is to:
receive the message from the one or more processors;
generate a redirect message; and
transmit the redirect message to a device originating the data packet.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method to retain subscribers to a communication service, the method comprising the step of:
defining at least one retention limit for a subscriber;
estimating a communication parameter for the subscriber;
comparing the communication parameter against the retention limit; and
improving a communication experience for the subscriber in response to the comparison of the estimated communication parameter and the retention limit.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is a reduction in the amount of advertising sent to the subscriber.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is an increase in content per cost for the subscriber.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is an improved Quality of Service for a subscriber device.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is more frequent presence updates for a subscriber device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is more frequent e-mail updates for a subscriber device.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a service limit for the subscriber and the communication parameter is an amount of service used by the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the amount of service used by the subscriber exceeds the service limit.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a stress limit and the communication parameter is an amount of stress estimated for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the amount of stress of the subscriber exceeds the stress limit.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a predetermined date before the service contract termination date for the subscriber and the communication parameter is a number of days into the service contract for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the number of days into the service contract exceeds the predetermined date before the service contract termination date.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a predetermined limit for dropped calls for the subscriber and the communication parameter is a number of dropped calls for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the number of dropped calls for the subscriber exceeds the predetermined limit for dropped calls for the subscriber.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a predetermined limit for roaming minutes for the subscriber and the communication parameter is a number of roaming minutes for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the number of roaming minutes for the subscriber exceeds the predetermined limit for roaming minutes for the subscriber.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention limit is a predetermined cost limit for the subscriber and the communication parameter is a cost for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the cost for the subscriber exceeds the predetermined cost limit for the subscriber.
13. A method to retain subscribers to a communication service, the method comprising the step of:
defining at least one retention limit for a subscriber, each retention limit associated with a communication parameter;
estimating a communication parameter for the subscriber;
comparing the communication parameter against the associated retention limit; and
improving a communication experience for the subscriber if the estimated communication parameter exceeds the retention limit.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is a reduction in cost for the subscriber.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication experience of the improving step is an improved Quality of Service for a subscriber device.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the retention limit is a service limit for the subscriber and the communication parameter is an amount of service used by the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the amount of service used by the subscriber exceeds the service limit.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the retention limit is a cost limit for the subscriber and the communication parameter is a cost for the subscriber, wherein the improving step is invoked if the cost for the subscriber exceeds the cost limit for the subscriber.
18. A network entity for retaining a subscriber to a communication service, the network entity comprising:
a memory for holding a defined list of at least one retention limit for a subscriber;
a communication monitor for estimating a communication parameter for the subscriber; and
a processor coupled to the memory and monitor, the processor for comparing the communication parameter against the retention limit, wherein the processor is operable to improve a communication experience for the subscriber in response to the comparison of the estimated communication parameter and the retention limit.