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US5287103A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for providing local area network clients with internetwork identification data

Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1991-12-30
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Granted: 1994-02-15
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Expires: 2011-12-30
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Abstract

Abstract An arrangement providing an internetwork identification in response to a broadcast message from a LAN client wherein the broadcast message comprises the LAN client's LAN address. The exemplary apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving a message from the LAN and a translator coupled to the receiver for providing a translation of the LAN address to an internetwork identification responsive to determining that the received message is a broadcast message request for internetwork identification. The translator comprises a first device for determining that the received message comprises a broadcast message request for an internetwork identification and a second device coupled to the first device and responsive thereto for receiving the LAN address and providing the internetwork identification. The second device may comprise a disk system or other writable, nonvolatile electronic device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Marlon Z. Kasprzyk
  • 👤 Paul K. Wolfe, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 19:04
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4604; H04L45/00; H04L45/74; H04L45/742; H04L61/00; H04L61/09; H04L61/10; H04L61/103; H04L61/58; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L2101/00; H04L2101/60; H04L2101/618; H04L2101/622

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 156 words
A method for providing an internetwork identification to a client on a local area network (LAN), said LAN client comprising a node on said LAN that does not have a writable, non-volatile memory for storing said internetwork identification, said LAN being connected to other LANs by a router, said router being configured to not pass broadcast messages from said LAN to said other LANs, said method comprising: receiving on said LAN a broadcast message from said LAN client during initialization of said LAN client, said broadcast message requesting an internetwork identification for use in subsequent communication with nodes on said other LANs and specifying an address of said LAN client; translating said address of said LAN client into said internetwork identification; and transmitting a message on said LAN to said LAN client containing said internetwork identification, whereby said internetwork identification of said LAN client is obtained without said router passing said broadcast message to other LANs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 156 words
A method for providing an internetwork identification to a client on a local area network (LAN), said LAN client comprising a node on said LAN that does not have a writable, non-volatile memory for storing said internetwork identification, said LAN being connected to other LANs by a router, said router being configured to not pass broadcast messages from said LAN to said other LANs, said method comprising: receiving on said LAN a broadcast message from said LAN client during initialization of said LAN client, said broadcast message requesting an internetwork identification for use in subsequent communication with nodes on said other LANs and specifying an address of said LAN client; translating said address of said LAN client into said internetwork identification; and transmitting a message on said LAN to said LAN client containing said internetwork identification, whereby said internetwork identification of said LAN client is obtained without said router passing said broadcast message to other LANs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said translating comprises performing a table look up in an address table where said LAN address is paired with its corresponding internetwork identification.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: if said LAN address is not paired with a corresponding internetwork identification in said address table, transmitting a diagnostic message to said LAN client.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: if said LAN address is not paired with a corresponding internetwork identification in said address table, transmitting a request to a file server for an update of said address table.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 151 words
An apparatus for use in a LAN, said LAN comprising one or more clients that do not have writable, non-volatile memory for storing an internetwork identification, said client relying on a node on one other LAN for data storage, said LAN being connected by a router to other LANs, including said one other LAN, said router being configured to not pass broadcast messages from said LAN to said other LANs, said apparatus providing an internetwork identification in response to a broadcast message request for internetwork identification at initialization of one of said client, said broadcast message including said one client's address, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving said broadcast message from said LAN; and means, coupled to said means for receiving, for providing a translation of said address of said one client to an internetwork identification responsive to determining that said received message is a broadcast message request for internetwork identification.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 151 words
An apparatus for use in a LAN, said LAN comprising one or more clients that do not have writable, non-volatile memory for storing an internetwork identification, said client relying on a node on one other LAN for data storage, said LAN being connected by a router to other LANs, including said one other LAN, said router being configured to not pass broadcast messages from said LAN to said other LANs, said apparatus providing an internetwork identification in response to a broadcast message request for internetwork identification at initialization of one of said client, said broadcast message including said one client's address, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving said broadcast message from said LAN; and means, coupled to said means for receiving, for providing a translation of said address of said one client to an internetwork identification responsive to determining that said received message is a broadcast message request for internetwork identification.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 66 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said translation means comprises first means for determining that said received message comprises a broadcast message request for an internetwork identification, and second means for receiving said address and providing said internetwork identification, said first means coupled to said second means and said second means responsive to said request by said first means for providing said internetwork identification.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second means comprises a disk system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second means comprises a writable, nonvolatile electronic device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 further comprising means for interfacing said first means to a terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 further comprising means for updating said second means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said updating means comprises means for sending an update request to a file server, and means responsive to a message from said file server for updating said second means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 74 words
On a LAN, a terminal without storage of an internetwork identification necessary to permit communication to and from it outside said LAN; storing means on said LAN for storing said internetwork identification unique to said terminal; and translating means for monitoring broadcast messages on said LAN from said terminal and for responding to selected broadcast messages from said terminal by delivering a message to said terminal comprising said internetwork identification from said storage means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 74 words
On a LAN, a terminal without storage of an internetwork identification necessary to permit communication to and from it outside said LAN; storing means on said LAN for storing said internetwork identification unique to said terminal; and translating means for monitoring broadcast messages on said LAN from said terminal and for responding to selected broadcast messages from said terminal by delivering a message to said terminal comprising said internetwork identification from said storage means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4816826A Cited
US4813038A Cited
US5185860A Cited
US5166931A Cited
US5163045A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-02-14 1997-08-16 1998-02-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-02-14 2001-08-16 2002-02-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-02-14 2005-08-16 2006-02-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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