Device and method for communication over a network

Claim 1

A system for communication over a network; comprising: a network application device having a network application, an associated application programming interface (API) structuring information from the network application for subsequent processing by a network protocol stack and a first peer-to-peer communication means coupled with the API for passing network information to and from the network application; and with said network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API; and a network interface device coupled between the network application device and the network, and the network interface device having a network protocol stack, a medium access control (MAC) coupled with the network, and a second peer-to-peer communications means coupled with the first peer-to-peer communications means of said network application device to provide a communication link therewith, and with the network protocol stack coupled between the MAC and the second peer-to-peer communication means to execute a complete and standard set of layered network protocol processes on network information passing to and from the network via the MAC and the communication link.

Claim 2

A system for communication over a network; comprising: a network application device having a network application, an associated application programming interface (API) structuring information from the network application for subsequent processing by a network protocol stack and a first peer-to-peer communication means coupled with the API for passing network information to and from the network application; and with said network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API; and a network interface device coupled between the network application device and the network, and the network interface device having a network protocol stack, a medium access control (MAC) coupled with the network, and a second peer-to-peer communications means coupled with the first peer-to-peer communications means of said network application device to provide a communication link therewith, and with the network protocol stack coupled between the MAC and the second peer-to-peer communication means to execute a complete and standard set of layered network protocol processes on network information passing to and from the network via the MAC and the communication link.

Claim 8

A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising: sending network information from a network application, to an application programming interface (API) both provided in the network application device, lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API transforming, in the API, the network information to a format readable by a network protocol stack; transporting the network information transformed in said step of transforming, from the network API to the network interface device; processing the network information transported from the network application device in said transporting act, in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device; and coupling the network information processed in said processing act to the network with a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device.

Claim 9

A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising: sending network information from a network application, to an application programming interface (API) both provided in the network application device, lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API transforming, in the API, the network information to a format readable by a network protocol stack; transporting the network information transformed in said step of transforming, from the network API to the network interface device; processing the network information transported from the network application device in said transporting act, in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device; and coupling the network information processed in said processing act to the network with a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device.

Claim 11

A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising: receiving network information from the network at a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device; processing the network information received in said receiving act in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device; transporting the network information processed in said processing act, from the network protocol stack to the network application device, and network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API transforming the network information transported in said transporting act in an application programming interface (API) provided in the network application device; and transmitting the network information transformed in said transforming act to a network application provided in the network application device.

Claim 12

A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising: receiving network information from the network at a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device; processing the network information received in said receiving act in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device; transporting the network information processed in said processing act, from the network protocol stack to the network application device, and network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API transforming the network information transported in said transporting act in an application programming interface (API) provided in the network application device; and transmitting the network information transformed in said transforming act to a network application provided in the network application device.