Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data addressing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-21
2003-07-08
Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2142)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data addressing
C370S401000, C370S466000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06591306
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an intelligent router. More particularly, this invention relates to a router that is useful for providing internet access to a foreign or a guest station on a local network. This invention relates, even more particularly, to a computer system that acts as a routing apparatus, to a method of routing, to a method of intercepting IP packets from computers with unknown IP configuration, to a method of adapting intercepted IP traffic to a local network configuration, to a method of protecting the local network from malicious guest computers, to a network interface, and to a computer program product adapted to provide IP network access to a guest station.
2. Related Technology
For the sake of clarity, some background information will now be provided. A discussion of digital computers is provided first, followed by an explanation of computer systems and computer program products. After that, computer communications and networks are discussed.
After this foundation is provided, a problem is described with respect to networking and portable devices. To complete this description of related technology, one or more prior solutions to the problem are then discussed.
Digital Computers
Digital computers have made possible many changes in the scientific, industrial, and commercial arenas. Today, many businesses cannot function without the aid of working information systems. Many special-purpose and general-purpose computers are well-known.
A block diagram of a simple general-purpose digital computer is shown in
FIG. 1
, although the drawing figure could also pertain equally well to a special-purpose digital computer, depending on the functionality provided. Reference numeral
10
indicates the general-purpose digital computer. Such a computer may include a central processing unit
100
, also referred to as a CPU. The main memory
110
may be understood to be a RAM. The computer in this simplified diagram has only one I/O processor
120
. The I/O processor
120
controls I/O devices
130
. The I/O devices
130
may include a display, a keyboard, a printer, a disk drive, a mouse, and a network adapter
140
, such as an Ethernet card or the like. It will be understood that this diagram is for explanatory purposes only, and is not intended in any way to limit the invention.
The CPU
100
includes a control unit, an ALU, and registers. The control unit is responsible for fetching instructions from main memory
110
and determining their type. The ALU performs operations, such as addition and Boolean AND, needed to carry out the instructions. The registers of the CPU
100
provide a small, high-speed memory used to store temporary results and certain control information. The registers may each be designated a certain function, or may be general-purpose registers. Included in the registers is a program counter PC, which points to the next instruction to be executed. There is also an instruction register IR, which holds the instruction currently being executed.
It will be appreciated that the CPU
100
, the main memory
110
, and the I/O processor
120
are interconnected by buses. Communications between these different units takes place across the buses. Of course, the network adapter
140
or any of the other I/O devices
130
may be designed so as to function without the I/O processor and, instead, be connected to the same bus used by the other main modules. Additionally, it is possible to have multiple displays, multiple network adapters
140
, and so on.
Thus, it can be seen that a digital computer is an interconnection of digital modules. There are modules within the CPU
100
, and the CPU, the main memory
110
, and the I/O processor
120
also may be thought of as modules themselves. On a larger scale, when these components are all included in the same container, this container may be understood to be a module, and the different I/O devices (such as display and keyboard) may be understood to be modules themselves.
Computer Systems and Computer Program Products
Here, the term “computer system” is to be understood to include at least a memory and a processor. In general, the memory will store, at one time or another, at least portions of an executable program code, and the processor will execute one or more of the instructions included in that executable program code. It will be appreciated that the term “executable program code” and the term “software” mean substantially the same thing for the purposes of this description. It is not necessary for this discussion that the memory and the processor be physically located in the same place. That is to say, the processor and the memory might be in different physical pieces of equipment or even in geographically distinct locations.
The term “computer program product” will now be explained. On a practical level, the software that enables the computer system to perform desired operations may be supplied on any one of a variety of media. Furthermore, the actual implementation of computer operations may actually be statements written in a programming language. Such programming language statements, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to act in accordance with the particular content of the statements. Furthermore, the software that enables a computer system to act in a predetermined manner may be provided in any number of forms including, but not limited to, original source code, assembly code, object code, machine language, compressed or encrypted versions of the foregoing, and any and all equivalents.
One of skill in the art will appreciate that “media”, or “computer-readable media”, as used here, may include a diskette, a tape, a compact disc, an integrated circuit, a ROM, a CD, a cartridge, a remote transmission via a communications circuit, or any other similar medium useable by computers. For example, to supply software for enabling a computer system to operate in a predetermined manner, the supplier might provide a diskette or might transmit the software in some form via satellite transmission, via a direct telephone link, or via the Internet. Thus, the term, “computer readable medium” is intended to include all of the foregoing and any other medium by which software may be provided to a computer.
Although the enabling software might be “written on” a diskette, “stored in” an integrated circuit, or “carried over” a communications circuit, it will be appreciated that, for the purposes of this application, the computer usable medium may be referred to as “bearing” the software. Thus, the term “bearing” is intended to encompass the above and all equivalent ways in which software is associated with a computer usable medium. For the sake of simplicity, therefore, the term “program product” is thus used to refer to a computer useable medium, as defined above, which bears, in any form, software to enable a computer system to operate in a predetermined manner.
User Interfaces
A User interface may be invocable by a running program. A user interface may be understood to mean any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software that allows any user to interact with a computer system. Most programs have many interfaces of different types, e.g. a graphical interface for the user, a command line interface, a control interface (based on CORBA, JAVA-RMI, DCE or some other protocol). Here, it will be appreciated that the term “user interface” means all of these taken together.
For the purposes of this discussion, a user interface may be understood to include one or more user interface objects. User interface objects may include display regions, user activatable regions, and the like.
As is well understood, a display region is a region of a user interface which displays information to the user. A user activatable region is a region of a user interface, such as a button or a menu, which allows the user to take some action with respect to the user interface.
A user interface may be invoked by an application program. When an application program invokes a user interfa
NEC Corporation
Powell Mark R.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Vu Thong
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