US5490140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for providing ATM support for frame relay DTEs with a terminal adapter
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1994-09-30
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Granted: 1996-02-06
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Expires: 2014-09-30
Abstract
Abstract The system and method of the present invention provide a seamless approach for providing ATM connectivity for a Frame Relay DTE using an intelligent Terminal Adapter (TA). Using the system and method of the present invention, an enhanced Frame Relay protocol runs between the DTE and the ATM TA, the Frame Relay DTE is provided with not only the connectivity to the ATM network but also the full advantages of ATM transport mechanism. For instance, the FR DTE can choose to transmit its data using ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) 1,3/4 or 5. Using the system and method of the present invention, a FR DTE may communicate with another FR DTE or to an ATM DTE through wide area or local area ATM network. The Frame Relay DTE can send data, image, voice, or video traffics across the ATM network via the FR/ATM terminal adapter.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel S. Abensour
- 👤 Jon E. Fox
- 👤 Mahendra J. Joshi
- 👤 Fuyung Lai
- 👤 Kian-Bon K. Sy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:28
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
370 words
For use with a frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, a terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising: a mapping element; a FR DTE interface connected to said mapping element, said FR DTE interface comprising means for receiving frame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE and for conveying FR frames to said FR DTE, each FR frame comprising header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network, means for building information packets by stripping the header and trailer off of each FR frame received from said FR DTE, means for conveying said information packets to said mapping element, means for receiving information packets from said mapping element, and means for building FR frames by adding a header and a trailer to each information packet to be conveyed to said FR DTE; and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said ATM network interface comprising means for receiving ATM cells from said ATM network and for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, means for building protocol data units (PDUs) by reassembling ATM cells received from said ATM network, means for conveying said PDUs to said mapping element, means for receiving PDUs from said mapping element, and means for building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, said mapping element comprising means for receiving information packets from said FR DTE interface, means for examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, means for building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, means for conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface, means for receiving PDUs from said ATM network interface, means for building information packets based upon the contents of said PDUs, and means for conveying information packets to said FR DTE interface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
370 words
For use with a frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, a terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising: a mapping element; a FR DTE interface connected to said mapping element, said FR DTE interface comprising means for receiving frame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE and for conveying FR frames to said FR DTE, each FR frame comprising header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network, means for building information packets by stripping the header and trailer off of each FR frame received from said FR DTE, means for conveying said information packets to said mapping element, means for receiving information packets from said mapping element, and means for building FR frames by adding a header and a trailer to each information packet to be conveyed to said FR DTE; and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said ATM network interface comprising means for receiving ATM cells from said ATM network and for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, means for building protocol data units (PDUs) by reassembling ATM cells received from said ATM network, means for conveying said PDUs to said mapping element, means for receiving PDUs from said mapping element, and means for building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, said mapping element comprising means for receiving information packets from said FR DTE interface, means for examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, means for building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, means for conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface, means for receiving PDUs from said ATM network interface, means for building information packets based upon the contents of said PDUs, and means for conveying information packets to said FR DTE interface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 1 wherein each FR frame has a Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI), and said mapping element further comprises means for mapping said DLCIs to Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel Identifiers (VPI/VCIs), said PDU building means using said VPI/VCIs to build said PDUs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 2 wherein each FR frame further has a payload type field, said payload type field comprising said selected AAL service identifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 3 wherein said payload type field comprises a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN), a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) and a discard eligibility (DE) bit and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means uses these bits to identify said selected AAL service.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 4 wherein said payload type field further identifies a selected quality of service (QOS) and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means further uses said FECN, BECN and DE bits to identify the selected QOS.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 1 wherein said communications unit is an ATM DTE and further wherein each FR frame further has a Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel identifier (VPINCI) for identifying the address of said ATM DTE and said mapping means further comprises means for recognizing said VPI/VCI and passing it through to said ATM network interface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 6 wherein each selected AAL service identifier has a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN), a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) and a discard eligibility (DE) bit and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means uses these bits to identify said selected AAL service.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 7 wherein said selected AAL service identifier further identifies a selected quality of service (QOS) and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means further uses said FECN, BECN and DE bits to identify the selected QOS.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 1 or in claim 2 wherein said communications unit is a FR DTE.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 1 or in claim 6 wherein said communications unit is an ATM DTE.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The terminal adapter defined in claim 1 wherein said FR DTE interface further comprises means for performing error correction on each received FR frame.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
350 words
A method for use in a terminal adapter connected between a frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, said terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising a mapping element, a FR DTE interface connected to aid mapping element and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said method comprising the steps of: in said FR DTE interface, receiving flame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE and conveying FR frames to said FR DTE, each FR flame comprising a header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network, building information packets by stripping the header and trailer off of each FR frame received from said FR DTE, conveying said information packets to said mapping element, receiving information packets from said mapping element, and building FR frames by adding a header and a trailer to each information packet to be conveyed to said FR DTE; and in said ATM network interface, receiving ATM cells from said ATM network and for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, building protocol data units (PDUs) by reassembling ATM cells received from said ATM network, conveying said PDUs to said mapping element, receiving PDUs from said mapping element, and building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, in said mapping element, receiving information packets from said FR DTE interface, examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface, receiving PDUs from said ATM network interface, building information packets based upon the contents of said PDUs, and conveying information packets to said FR DTE interface.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
350 words
A method for use in a terminal adapter connected between a frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, said terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising a mapping element, a FR DTE interface connected to aid mapping element and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said method comprising the steps of: in said FR DTE interface, receiving flame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE and conveying FR frames to said FR DTE, each FR flame comprising a header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network, building information packets by stripping the header and trailer off of each FR frame received from said FR DTE, conveying said information packets to said mapping element, receiving information packets from said mapping element, and building FR frames by adding a header and a trailer to each information packet to be conveyed to said FR DTE; and in said ATM network interface, receiving ATM cells from said ATM network and for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, building protocol data units (PDUs) by reassembling ATM cells received from said ATM network, conveying said PDUs to said mapping element, receiving PDUs from said mapping element, and building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, in said mapping element, receiving information packets from said FR DTE interface, examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface, receiving PDUs from said ATM network interface, building information packets based upon the contents of said PDUs, and conveying information packets to said FR DTE interface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method defined in claim 12 wherein each FR Frame has a Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI), and said method further comprises, in said mapping element, the steps of mapping said DLCIs to Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel Identifiers (VPI/VCIs), and using said VPI/VCIs to build said PDUs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method defined in claim 13 wherein said communications unit is an ATM DTE and further wherein each FR frame further has a Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel Identifier (VPI/VCI) for identifying the address of said ATM DTE and said method means further comprises in said mapping element, the steps of recognizing said VPINCI and passing it through to said ATM network interface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method defined in claim 14 wherein said selected AAL service identifier has a forward explicit congestion notification (FECNE), a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) and a discard eligibility (DE) bit and further wherein said method further comprises, in said mapping element, the step of using these bits to identify said selected AAL service.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 15 wherein said AAL service identifier further identifies a selected quality of service (QOS) and further wherein said method further comprises, in said mapping element, using said FECN, BECN and DE bits to identify the selected QOS.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 12 wherein said method further comprises the step of performing error correction on each received FR frame.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
250 words
For use with in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, a system for communicating with said one or more communications units over said ATM network comprising: means for generating and conveying flame relay (FR) frames, each FR frame comprising a header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network; a mapping element; an FR interface connected between said FR frame conveying means and said mapping element, said FR interface comprising means for receiving said FR frames from said FR frame conveying means, means for building information packets from each FR frame received from said FR frame conveying means, and means for conveying said information packets to said mapping element; and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said ATM network interface comprising means for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, means for receiving protocol data units (PDUs) from said mapping element, and means for building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, said mapping element comprising means for receiving information packets from said FR interface, means for examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, means for building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, and means for conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
250 words
For use with in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, a system for communicating with said one or more communications units over said ATM network comprising: means for generating and conveying flame relay (FR) frames, each FR frame comprising a header and a trailer and a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network; a mapping element; an FR interface connected between said FR frame conveying means and said mapping element, said FR interface comprising means for receiving said FR frames from said FR frame conveying means, means for building information packets from each FR frame received from said FR frame conveying means, and means for conveying said information packets to said mapping element; and an ATM network interface connected to said mapping element, said ATM network interface comprising means for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network, means for receiving protocol data units (PDUs) from said mapping element, and means for building ATM cells to be conveyed to said ATM network by segmenting said PDUs, said mapping element comprising means for receiving information packets from said FR interface, means for examining said selected AAL service identifier and for identifying the selected AAL service, means for building PDUs based upon the contents of said information packets including said AAL service identifier, and means for conveying PDUs to said ATM network interface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system defined in claim 18 wherein each FR frame has a Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI), and said mapping element further comprises means for mapping said DLCIs to Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel Identifiers (VPI/VCIs), said PDU building means using said VPI/VCIs to build said PDUs.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system defined in claim 19 wherein each FR frame further has a payload type field, said payload type field comprising said selected AAL service identifier.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system defined in claim 20 wherein said payload type field comprises a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN), a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) and a discard eligibility (DE) bit and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means uses these bits to identify said selected AAL service.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system defined in claim 21 wherein said payload type field further identifies a selected quality of service (QOS) and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means further uses said FECN, BECN and DE bits to identify bits to identify the selected QOS.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
The system defined in claim 18 wherein said communications unit is an ATM DTE and further wherein each FR frame further has a Virtual Path Identifier/Virtual Channel identifier (VPI/VCI) for identifing the address of said ATM DTE and said mapping means further comprises means for recognizing said VPI/VCI and passing it through to said ATM network interface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system defined in claim 23 wherein each FR frame has a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN), a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) and a discard eligibility (DE) bit and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means uses these bits to identify said selected AAL service.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system defined in claim 24 wherein said FR frame further identifies a selected quality of service (QOS) and further wherein said selected AAL service identifying means further uses said FECN, BECN and DE bits to identify the selected QOS.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system defined in claim 18 or in claim 19 wherein said communications unit is a FR DTE.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system defined in claim 18 or in claim 23 wherein said communications unit is an ATM DTE.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system defined in claim 18 wherein said FR interface further comprises means for performing error correction on each received FR frame.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system defined in claim 18 wherein said FR interface further comprises means for conveying FR frames to said FR frame conveying means, means for receiving information packets from said mapping element, and means for building FR frames by adding a header and a trailer to each information packet to be conveyed to said FR frame conveying means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system defined in claim 29 wherein said ATM network interface further comprises means for receiving ATM cells from said ATM network, means for building PDUs by reassembling ATM cells received from said ATM network, means for conveying said PDUs to said mapping element.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system defined in claim 30 wherein said mapping element further comprises means for receiving PDUs from said ATM network interface, means for building information packets based upon the contents of said PDUs, and means for conveying information packets to said FR interface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
232 words
A frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) for communicating over an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, via terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising a mapping element, a FR DTE interface for receiving frame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE, an ATM network interface connected to said ATM network for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network from said terminal adapter, a mapping element connected between said FR DTE interface and said ATM network interface for providing an interface therebetween, said FR DTE comprising: means for building frame relay (FR) frames, each FR frame comprising a beginning flag, an ending flag, a user data field, a frame check sequence field, and an address field, said address field comprising a data link connection identifier (DLCI), a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN) bit, a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) bit, and a discard eligibility (DE) bit, the FECN bit, the BECN bit, and the DE bit comprising a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network; and means for conveying said FR frames to said terminal adapter.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
232 words
A frame relay terminating equipment (FR DTE) for communicating over an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network having one or more communications units connected thereto, via terminal adapter for providing an interface to said ATM network for said FR DTE so that said FR DTE is able to communicate with said one or more communications units, said terminal adapter comprising a mapping element, a FR DTE interface for receiving frame relay (FR) frames from said FR DTE, an ATM network interface connected to said ATM network for conveying ATM cells to said ATM network from said terminal adapter, a mapping element connected between said FR DTE interface and said ATM network interface for providing an interface therebetween, said FR DTE comprising: means for building frame relay (FR) frames, each FR frame comprising a beginning flag, an ending flag, a user data field, a frame check sequence field, and an address field, said address field comprising a data link connection identifier (DLCI), a forward explicit congestion notification (FECN) bit, a backward explicit congestion notification (BECN) bit, and a discard eligibility (DE) bit, the FECN bit, the BECN bit, and the DE bit comprising a selected ATM Adaptation Layer (AAL) service identifier for identifying one of a set of AAL services by which said FR frame is to be conveyed over said ATM network; and means for conveying said FR frames to said terminal adapter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-02-05 | 1999-08-07 | 2000-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-02-05 | 2003-08-07 | 2004-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-02-05 | 2007-08-07 | 2008-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |