Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-16
2001-12-11
Geckil, Mehmet B. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
C709S217000, C709S218000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330599
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to virtual interfaces with dynamic binding in a computer network environment.
2. Description of Related Art
In a computer network environment, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a device remote from that local area network. When the local area network uses a protocol such as ethernet or token ring, devices to be coupled to the local area network generally require a network interface card or a similar device to establish connectivity. However, for a device remote from the local area network, a communication link to the locality of the local area network, such as a serial link, is generally required to establish connectivity. Providing connectivity between a local area network and a remote is a problem which has arisen in the art.
For example, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a router for connection to a second network. In this manner, the local area network can achieve connectivity with a network of networks (an internetwork) using the router. However, when the router is physically remote from the local area network, connectivity between the router and the local area network generally requires a communication link, such as a serial communication link, which complicates the connection between the router and the local area network.
One method in the art is to provide connectivity between the router and the local area network using a higher-level protocol, such as the TCP/IP protocol. Devices coupled to the local area network would then be able to communicate with networks coupled to the router, using the TCP/IP protocol or applications founded thereon. However, while this method provides connectivity between the router and the local area network, it requires additional complexity and additional processing for such accesses, and does not truly allow routing packets over the serial connection as if it were a local area network connection. This additional complexity and failure to truly emulate a local area network connection may also degrade or disable the use at the router of applications designed for local area networks, even though the router is thereby coupled to the local area network.
In addition to connectivity, it is often desirable to couple a local area network to a remote location so as to provide services to the local area network from that remote location. For example, it may be advantageous to centralize administrative services for a plurality of local area networks which are remote from each other. However, the additional complexity of using a higher-level protocol introduces additional complexity and inconvenience to provision of those administrative services to the local area network.
More generally, it is often desirable to substitute a different type of physical device interface while maintaining the same type of logical connectivity. For example, portable laptop or notebook computers often provide a PCMCIA or “smart card” interface, to which one of several types of devices may be coupled. Some of these PCMCIA cards provide connectivity to a local area network, but may require a special software controller for the PCMCIA-based network interface. It would be advantageous to provide a method and system in which a software controller for the network interface could operate independent of which type of PCMCIA card is used to provide physical connectivity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide improved connectivity to networks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method and system for providing a virtual interface between a router and a network, in which the router is not connected to the network using a local interface. The invention also provides a method and system in which a router may be dynamically decoupled from a first network and coupled to a second network, without losing state information associated with the coupling to either network. In a preferred embodiment, the router comprises a virtual interface to the network, at which state information for the physical interface to the network is recorded, and a binding between the virtual interface and a physical interface, the latter of which is coupled to the network. In a preferred embodiment, dynamic binding of the virtual interface to the physical interface comprises an authentication step.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a method and system in which a router can be dynamically coupled to one of a plurality of local networks of differing types, such as one local network using an ethernet technique and one local network using a token ring technique. In this second aspect, the router comprises one virtual interface for each local network interface, a physical interface comprising a PC Card (PCMCIA card) controller, and one PC Card (PCMCIA card) network interface.
In a third aspect, a router is dynamically coupled to and decoupled from a set of networks sequentially, so that an administrator or an administrative program at the router may issue administrative and/or set-up commands to each of the networks. In a preferred embodiment, the administrative commands comprise configuration commands, so that an administrator may configure a plurality of networks from a single source location.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4677423 (1987-06-01), Benvenuto et al.
patent: 4679189 (1987-07-01), Olson et al.
patent: 4679227 (1987-07-01), Hughes-Hartogs
patent: 4723267 (1988-02-01), Jones et al.
patent: 4731816 (1988-03-01), Hughes-Hartogs
patent: 4750136 (1988-06-01), Arpin et al.
patent: 4757495 (1988-07-01), Decker et al.
patent: 4763191 (1988-08-01), Gordon et al.
patent: 4769810 (1988-09-01), Eckberg, Jr. et al.
patent: 4769811 (1988-09-01), Eckberg, Jr. et al.
patent: 4771425 (1988-09-01), Baran et al.
patent: 4819228 (1989-04-01), Baran et al.
patent: 4827411 (1989-05-01), Arrowood et al.
patent: 4833706 (1989-05-01), Hughes-Hartogs
patent: 4835737 (1989-05-01), Herrig et al.
patent: 4879551 (1989-11-01), Georgiou et al.
patent: 4893306 (1990-01-01), Chao et al.
patent: 4903261 (1990-02-01), Baran et al.
patent: 4922486 (1990-05-01), Lidinsky et al.
patent: 4933937 (1990-06-01), Konishi
patent: 4960310 (1990-10-01), Cushing
patent: 4962497 (1990-10-01), Ferenc et al.
patent: 4962532 (1990-10-01), Kasirai et al.
patent: 4965772 (1990-10-01), Daniel et al.
patent: 4970678 (1990-11-01), Sladowski et al.
patent: 4979118 (1990-12-01), Kheradpir
patent: 4980897 (1990-12-01), Decker et al.
patent: 4991169 (1991-02-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5003595 (1991-03-01), Collins et al.
patent: 5014265 (1991-05-01), Hahne et al.
patent: 5020058 (1991-05-01), Holden et al.
patent: 5033076 (1991-07-01), Jones et al.
patent: 5054034 (1991-10-01), Hughes-Hartogs
patent: 5059925 (1991-10-01), Weisbloom
patent: 5072449 (1991-12-01), Enns et al.
patent: 5088032 (1992-02-01), Bosack
patent: 5095480 (1992-03-01), Fenner
patent: 5115431 (1992-05-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5128945 (1992-07-01), Enns et al.
patent: 5136580 (1992-08-01), Videlock et al.
patent: 5166930 (1992-11-01), Braff et al.
patent: 5199049 (1993-03-01), Wilson
patent: 5206886 (1993-04-01), Bingham
patent: 5208811 (1993-05-01), Kashio et al.
patent: 5212686 (1993-05-01), Joy et al.
patent: 5224099 (1993-06-01), Corbalis et al.
patent: 5226120 (1993-07-01), Brown et al.
patent: 5228062 (1993-07-01), Bingham
patent: 5229994 (1993-07-01), Balzano et al.
patent: 5237564 (1993-08-01), Lespagnol et al.
patent: 5241682 (1993-08-01), Bryant et al.
patent: 5243342 (1993-09-01), Kattemalalavadi et al.
patent: 5243596 (1993-09-01), Port et al.
patent: 5247516 (1993-09-01), Bernstein et al.
patent: 5249178 (1993-09-01), Kurano et al.
patent: 5253251 (1993-10-01), Aramaki
patent: 5255291 (1993-10-01), Holden et al.
patent: 5260933 (1993-11-01), Rouse
patent: 5260978 (1993-11-01), Fleischer et al.
patent: 5268592 (1993-12-01), Bellamy et al.
patent: 5268900 (1993-12-01), Hluchyj et al.
patent: 5271004 (1993-12-01), Proctor et al.
patent: 5274631 (1993-12-01), Bhardwaj
patent: 5274635 (1993-12-01), Rahman et al.
patent: 5274643 (1993-12-0
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Cisco Technology Inc.
Geckil Mehmet B.
LandOfFree
Virtual interfaces with dynamic binding does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Virtual interfaces with dynamic binding, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Virtual interfaces with dynamic binding will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2567849