Patent EP0603100A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0603100A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Methods and apparatus for interconnecting local area networks with wide area backbone networks
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A system for interconnecting widely separated local area networks (LANs) (11,12) by means of a wide area network (WAN) (10) utilizes network level facilities to establish a connection through the wide area network and to create connection table entries at the WAN access point (13,14) which allow subsequent data frames to be transmitted through the wide area network without such network level operations. More particularly, the various LANs are combined into search groups, represented by address prefixes, to which LAN-initiated connection requests can be broadcast and which can respond so as to establish the data path connections. This system has the connection flexibility of a prior art router and, at the same time, the low overhead of a prior art bridge.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Haskell Derby
- 👤 Willibald August Doeringer
- 👤 Harold Douglas Dykeman
- 👤 Liang Li
- 👤 Haldon Jules Sandick
- 👤 Ken Van Vu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/66; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4604; H04L45/00; H04L45/74; H04L45/742
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An interconnecting system for interconnecting a plurality of local area data communications networks protocols by means of a single wide area data communications network, said interconnecting system been characterized in that it comprises: means in said wide area network for receiving a signaling frame from an originating one of said local area networks and intended for a destination one of said local area networks, network layer means responsive to said signaling frame receiving means for determining if said destination local area network has the same transmission protocols compatible with the transmission protocols at said originating local area network, means responsive said determining means for creating a data frame adjusting means for adjusting data frames from one of said local area communications networks to permit transmission through said wide area network, and data link layer means responsive to said adjusting means for forwarding adjusted data frames across said wide area network.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interconnection system according to claim 1 further comprising means utilizing address prefixes for associating local area network addresses with compatible local area network protocols.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The interconnection system according to claim 2 wherein said address prefix is taken from said signaling frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interconnection system according to claim 2 wherein said address prefix is determined administratively by said network layer means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The interconnection system according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein said adjusting means comprises connection tables at each interface of one of said local area networks with said wide area network for adjusting said data frames.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The interconnection system according to anyone of the preceding claims further comprising directory services means for registering support for the interconnection of local area networks connected to said wide area network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The interconnection system according to anyone of the preceding claims further comprising protocol components for processing signaling frames from said local area networks, and relay components for processing data frames from said local area networks.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for interconnecting a plurality of local area data communications networks protocols by means of a single wide area data communications network, said interconnecting method characterized in that it comprises the step of: receiving a signaling frame from an originating one of said local area networks and intended for a destination one of said local area networks, determining if said destination local area network has the same transmission protocols compatible with the transmission protocols of said originating local area network, creating a data frame adjusting means for adjusting data frames from one of said local area communications networks to permit transmission through said wide area network, and forwarding adjusted data frames across said wide area network, utilizing said frame adjusting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of utilizing address prefixes for associating local area network addresses with compatible local area network protocols.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of taking said address prefix from said signaling frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of determining said address prefix administratively.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
46 words
The method according to anyone of claims 8 to 11 wherein said step of adjusting comprises the steps of creating connection tables at each interface of one of said local area networks with said wide area network, and adjusting said data frames with said connection tables.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
51 words
The method according to anyone of claims 8 to 12 further comprising the steps of registering support for the interconnection of local area networks connected to said wide area network in a directory services component, and utilizing said directory services component in said step of creating a data frame adjusting means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
60 words
The method according to anyone of claims 8 to 13 further comprising the steps of processing signaling frames from said local area networks by a protocol component in the network layer level of said wide area network, and processing data frames from said local area networks by a relay component in the data link layer of said wide area network.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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