Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Switching a message which includes an address header
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-16
2001-02-27
Pham, Chi H. (Department: 2731)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Switching a message which includes an address header
C370S465000, C375S222000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195359
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for routing calls to an Internet service provider to local area networks through which such services are available, and, more particularly, to apparatus for routing such calls based on either the function required by the mail, as determined by the modem type, or on the service required by the user, as determined by the telephone number, or other user identification, used to reach the system.
2. Background Information
Computing devices and terminals connected by means of telephone lines include both devices communicating by means of relatively new modems, which are both relatively fast and flexible, and older, legacy devices communicating at slower speeds, with different protocols, and without operational flexibility. Hardware and software incompatibility results when an Internet service provider must service a mixture of both new and legacy devices communicating with his system through the public switched telephone network over a single ISDN line, such as a T
1
line in the United States or an E
1
line in Europe. The alternative of providing separate ISDN lines for connection to the different types of devices which may call the system providing Internet services is undesirable because of the generally high cost of such lines.
Examples of slow, or legacy modems are asynchronous FSK (frequency-shift keying) modems, such as ITU (International Telecommunications Union) specifications V.21 or V.23. Many recently-built devices do not support connection to such modems. Users having such modems may be well served by connection to such services as Video Text or BBS (bulletin board services).
What is needed is a way to provide different routings through the equipment of the Internet provider receiving a call, to equipment providing different interfaces and protocols, based on the type of modem through which the call is made. Furthermore, what is needed is a system including a primary router making connections with the Internet and similar services, and a secondary router making connections with Video Text, BBS. etc. Furthermore, what is needed is a way to provide a specialized interface allowing access to the Internet from such slow, legacy modems.
A conventional method for discriminating among various users, especially in the case where different users have access to different services of an Internet service provider, is to provide users in different groups with different telephone numbers to use when calling the service provider. What is needed is a method providing differing routings through the equipment of the Internet provider, based on the type of device or modem through which a call is made, so that reliable connections can be made without a need to use different telephone numbers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,720 describes a method and system in a data communications system for automatically determining a data communication device type and a transmission speed associated with the data communication device type. An incoming communication is directed on a transmission line, and transmit and receive hardware are connected to the transmission line. Next, a sequence of different signals in either a first communication protocol or a second communication protocol are transmitted from a first data communication device via a transmission line. The transmission line is then monitored for a response signal from a second data communication device. The response signal is initiated from the second data communication device in response to receipt of a particular signal within the transmitted sequence of different signals, a data communication device type and transmission speed are determined, and data communications may then be established between the first data communication device and the second data communication device at an optimal transmission speed.
The method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,720 specifically deals with resolving differences between modems when such differences can be resolved through negotiation during an initial phase of a call with a minimum need to switch among communications circuits for the appropriate interconnection circuitry. What is needed is a method for switching to entirely different interconnection circuitry, such as a different router, to accommodate, for example, a modem of a legacy device which cannot communicate with the devices otherwise connected to the server of an Internet provider.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore one objective of the present invention to provide a method for routing an incoming call from a port in the public switched telephone network to either a primary LAN or a secondary router, based on a determination of the type of modem used by the device making the incoming calls.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a system having primary and secondary interconnected routers in which upstream supervisory messages from the secondary router inform the primary router of current capabilities for each channel available within the secondary router and of the number of such channels available.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a system having a primary router and a secondary router interconnected by a secondary call control channel over which capabilities are negotiated during the establishment of a call.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a system having a primary router and a secondary router, with functions such as modem emulation, encryption, call verification, and security functions residing in the primary router.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a system having a primary router and one or more secondary routers functioning as slaves.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide for the movement of data between communications adapters within the primary router over a bus interconnecting such adapters.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5175733 (1992-12-01), Nugent
patent: 5491720 (1996-02-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5517620 (1996-05-01), Hashimoto et al.
patent: 5742760 (1998-04-01), Piccazo, Jr. et al.
patent: 5771232 (1998-06-01), Sinibaldi et al.
patent: 5799016 (1998-08-01), Onweller
Eng Robert Chih-Tsin
Pebly Robert A.
Sinibaldi John Claude
Davidge R. V.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Pham Chi H.
Tomlin R. A.
Tran Maikhanh
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