Network simulation system and method

• US 20020042706A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.), Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems Incorporated (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Joe A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay

Abstract

A method allows communication within a network. The method includes the steps of: transmitting data packet as a broadcast signal (107) from a first application node (105) of a first subnetwork (101) to a first gateway node (103) of the first subnetwork (101); transmitting the data packet as a point-to-point signal (108) from the first gateway node (103) to a second gateway node (104) of a second subnetwork (102); and transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal (109) from the second gateway node (104) of the second subnetwork (102) to at least one application node (106) of the second subnetwork (102).

Claims

1. A method for communication within a network, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a data packet as a broadcast signal from a first application node of a first subnetwork to a first gateway node of the first subnetwork;

transmitting the data packet as a point-to-point signal from the first gateway node to a second gateway node of a second subnetwork; and

transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal from the second gateway node of the second subnetwork to at least one application node of the second subnetwork.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting another data packet as a broadcast signal from the at least one application node of the second subnetwork to the second gateway node of the second subnetwork;

transmitting the other data packet as a point-to-point signal from the second gateway node to the first gateway node of the first subnetwork; and

transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal from the first gateway node of the first subnetwork to the first application node of the first subnetwork.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said transmitting the data packet as a point-to-point signal is conducted across an undedicated communication network.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the undedicated communication network is the Internet.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said method is utilized to simulate war games between two remote geographic sites.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the broadcast signals each comprise an Ethernet Protocol Data Unit.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the point-to-point signal includes an IP address.

8. The method as set forth i n claim 1 further including the step of transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal to a second application node of the first subnetwork.

9. A system for simulating a war game, said system comprising:

a first device for transmitting a data packet as a broadcast signal from a first application node of a first subnetwork to a first gateway node of the first subnetwork;

a second device for transmitting the data packet as a point-to-point signal from the first gateway node to a second gateway node of a second subnetwork; and

a third device for transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal from the second gateway node of the second subnetwork to at least one application node of the second subnetwork.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said third device transmits another data packet as a broadcast signal from the at least one application node of the second subnetwork to the second gateway node of the second subnetwork;

said second device transmits the other data packet as a point-to-point signal from the second gateway node to the first gateway node of the first subnetwork; and

said third device transmits the data packet as a broadcast signal from the first gateway node of the first subnetwork to the first application node of the first subnetwork.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first device is a computer.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first gateway node converts the data packet from the broadcast signal to the point-to-point signal by adding an IP address to the broadcast signal.

13. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said third means is a computer.

14. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said second means is an undedicated intranet.

15. The system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first device transmits the data packet as a broadcast signal form the first application node to a second application node of the first subnetwork.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said third means transmits another data packet as a broadcast signal from the at least one application node of the second subnetwork to the second gateway node of the second subnetwork;

said second means transmits the other data packet as a point-to-point signal from the second gateway node to the first gateway node of the first subnetwork; and

said third means transmits the data packet as a broadcast signal from the first gateway node of the first subnetwork to the first application node of the first subnetwork.

19. The computer program product as set forth in claim 18 wherein said second application node transmits another data packet as a broadcast signal to said second gateway node, said second gateway node transmits said other data packet as a point-to-point signal to said first gateway node, and said first gateway node transmits said other data packet as a broadcast signal to said first and second application nodes.

20. The computer program product as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first application node transmits said data packet as a broadcast signal to another application node of said first subnetwork simultaneously to the transmission of said data packet to said first gateway node.

16. An apparatus for simulating a war game, said apparatus comprising:

a first means for transmitting a data packet as a broadcast signal from a first application node of a first subnetwork to a first gateway node of the first subnetwork;

a second means for transmitting the data packet as a point-to-point signal from the first gateway node to a second gateway node of a second subnetwork; and

a third means for transmitting the data packet as a broadcast signal from the second gateway node of the second subnetwork to at least one application node of the second subnetwork.

18. A computer program product for communicating within a network, said product comprising:

a first subnetwork having a first application node and a first gateway node; and

a second subnetwork having a second application node and a second gateway node,

said first application node transmitting a data packet as a broadcast signal to said first gateway node of said first subnetwork;

said first gateway node transmitting said data packet as a point-to-point signal from said first gateway node to said second gateway node of said second subnetwork,

said second gateway node transmitting said data packet as a broadcast signal from said second gateway node of said second subnetwork to said second application node of said second subnetwork.