Invalidity dossier
US 6393474
Dynamic policy management apparatus and method using active network devices
Current assignee: HP Inc
Added 9/21/2026, 10:22:16 AM
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Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Patent Overview: US6393474B1
Title: Dynamic policy management apparatus and method using active network devices
Patent number: US6393474B1 | Application: US09/223,829
Assignee/current assignee (as listed): Original assignee 3Com Corp; current assignee listed as HP Inc and Hewlett Packard Development Co LP.
Key dates: Priority/filing date 1998-12-31; publication/grant date 2002-05-21; anticipated expiration 2018-12-31; status: Expired – Fee Related. PCT and Canadian priorities dated 1999-11-29. Inventors: Stuart Eichert, Danny M. Nessett, Wenjun Luo, Elaine Lusher.
Purpose: To establish and enforce system policy across a network using active networking devices. The patent addresses the difficulty of implementing and maintaining management policy across all network layers and device types, including legacy systems, and the risks of relying solely on a central management station whose periodic instructions may fail during congestion or outage.
Plain-language scope: A management station uses a Policy Definition System (PDS) with a Policy Definition Language (PDL) to create programming-language "active packets" representing policy rules. Active packets may use object-oriented or scripting languages (e.g., C++, JAVA, PERL, TCL) and are stored in files, optionally digitally signed, then deposited in a directory/distributed database or sent to enforcement devices. On receipt, an enforcement device may verify the signature to determine privileges, examine what implementing code (variable, method, and/or data) is needed, and obtain missing code from a database, directory, another device, or memory. Policies are enforced across multiple protocol layers and device types—routers, switches, repeaters, smart NICs, end-system processes, and remote access equipment—each enforcing the portion of policy pertinent to traffic traversing it.
Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US6393474](/patent/US6393474)/en
What the excerpt does not establish: It is not a complete specification; text is explicitly noted as excerpted. It provides no claims text, no detailed figures, no complete embodiments, and does not establish litigation, validity, or prior-art conclusions.
Generated 10/1/2026, 10:01:42 PM
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Litigation summary
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PTAB challenges
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Assignment history
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Prior art
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Obviousness
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Extensions
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Derivative works
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