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US5878043A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

ATM LAN emulation

Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-05-09
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Granted: 1999-03-02
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Expires: 2016-05-09
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Abstract

Abstract By using a LAN emulation in an ATM environment, end systems such as workstations etc. can connect to the ATM network while software applications interact as if they are attached to a traditional LAN. The invention is a simple technique for emulating a LAN on an ATM network. According to the invention, each end system is identified by hub and port identifiers which represent a hub and a port of the hub to which the end system is connected. By labelling each ATM cell, and proper label translation at hubs, a LAN can be emulated without using network servers which would introduce cumbersome extra procedures.

Inventors

  • 👤 Liam Maurice Casey

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 02:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4604; H04L12/4608; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L2012/5614; H04L2012/5615; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/5645

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 151 words
An ATM network in which a plurality of end stations form one or more emulated LANs by way of one or more ATM hubs connected in a plurality of LAN configurations, comprising: each end station being assigned with a hub identifier and a port identifier, the hub and port identifiers representing respectively an ATM hub and a port of the ATM hub to which the end station is connected; a control device at the ATM hub for identifying one of the emulated LANs by the hub and port identifiers of the connected end station; a routing device for completing the VPI field of an ATM cell header, depending upon the emulated LAN identified by the control device; and a translation device for translating the VCI field of the ATM cell header from and Pd Hs, respectively, where Hd and Pd are the hub and port identifiers of a destination end station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 151 words
An ATM network in which a plurality of end stations form one or more emulated LANs by way of one or more ATM hubs connected in a plurality of LAN configurations, comprising: each end station being assigned with a hub identifier and a port identifier, the hub and port identifiers representing respectively an ATM hub and a port of the ATM hub to which the end station is connected; a control device at the ATM hub for identifying one of the emulated LANs by the hub and port identifiers of the connected end station; a routing device for completing the VPI field of an ATM cell header, depending upon the emulated LAN identified by the control device; and a translation device for translating the VCI field of the ATM cell header from and Pd Hs, respectively, where Hd and Pd are the hub and port identifiers of a destination end station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
The ATM network, according to claim 1, in which one or more ATM hubs are connected by trunks dedicated to one or more emulated LANs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The ATM network, according to claim 2, in which the control device produces a control signal and the translation device includes multiplexers for converting values in VPI field and VCI field of the ATM cell header in response to the control signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The ATM network, according to claim 3, further comprising translation tables for identifying one or more emulated LANs and referring to hub and port identifiers of end stations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
The ATM network, according to claim 3, in which the translation device includes multiplexers for converting values in VPI field and VCI field of the ATM cell header in response to the control signal and the value in the VPI field.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 142 words
A method of emulating one or more LANs in an ATM network among a plurality of end stations by way of one or more ATM hubs connected in a plurality of LAN configurations, comprising steps of: assigning each end station with a hub identifier and a port identifier, the hub and port identifiers, representing respectively an ATM hub and a port of the ATM hub to which the end station is connected; identifying one of the emulated LANs by the hub and port identifiers of the connected end station; completing the VPI field of an ATM cell header, depending upon the emulated LAN identified by the control device; and translating the VCI field of the ATM cell header from Hd and Pd to Hs and Ps respectively, where Hd and Pd are the hub and port identifiers of a destination end station.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 142 words
A method of emulating one or more LANs in an ATM network among a plurality of end stations by way of one or more ATM hubs connected in a plurality of LAN configurations, comprising steps of: assigning each end station with a hub identifier and a port identifier, the hub and port identifiers, representing respectively an ATM hub and a port of the ATM hub to which the end station is connected; identifying one of the emulated LANs by the hub and port identifiers of the connected end station; completing the VPI field of an ATM cell header, depending upon the emulated LAN identified by the control device; and translating the VCI field of the ATM cell header from Hd and Pd to Hs and Ps respectively, where Hd and Pd are the hub and port identifiers of a destination end station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of emulating one or more LANs in an ATM network among a plurality of end stations, according to claim 6, wherein the step of completing includes a further step of inserting a virtual LAN identifier in the VPI field of an ATM cell header.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 52 words
The method of emulating one or more LANs in an ATM network among a plurality of end stations according to claim 7, in which the translation step includes a step of referring to a translation table which identifies one or more emulated LANs, and the hub and port identifiers of end stations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of emulating one or more LANs in an ATM network among a plurality of end stations according to claim 7, in which the translation step includes a step of multiplexing hub and port identifiers in the VCI field.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4901312A Cited
US5329527A Cited
GB2269724A Cited
US5394402A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-03-01 2002-08-31 2003-03-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-03-01 2006-08-31 2007-03-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-03-01 2010-08-31 2011-03-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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