Protocol converter apparatus and method

• US 20020133610A1
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sterling Commerce (America) Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Hadland, John K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,766,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A protocol converter (14) allows communications between a host (12) and remotes (16, 18, 20) that operate using different communications protocols. The protocol converter (14) includes processes (50) and subsystems (60) for establishing a communications session between the remotes (16, 18, 20) and the host (12). The processes include a session manager (52), a set of facilities (54), and a set of utilities (56). The subsystems include a logon subsystem (62), a communications subsystem (64), and a translator subsystem (66).

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a remote operable to transmit first data in a first protocol;

a host operable to receive second data in a second protocol; and

a protocol converter coupled to the remote and the host, the protocol converter operable to receive first data from the remote, the protocol converter comprising a first facility, a utility, and a second facility running as processes on the protocol converter, the first facility operable to communicate first data to the utility, the utility operable to translate first data into second data, and the second facility operable to communicate the second data to the host.

2. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the utility comprises:

a first utility operable to receive first data from the first facility and to translate first data into raw data; and

a second utility operable to receive raw data from the first utility and to translate raw data into second data.

3. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the protocol converter comprises:

a communications subsystem operable to manage communications among the processes running on the protocol converter; and

a process table coupled to the communications subsystem, the process table having an entry for each process running on the protocol converter.

4. The communications system of claim 1, wherein:

the first facility supports at least one of a first link layer and a first line layer communications protocol;

the second facility supports at least one of a second link layer and a second line layer communications protocol; and

the utility is operable to translate the first data using the at least one of the first link layer and the first line layer communications protocol into the second data using the at least one of the second link layer and the second line layer communications protocol.

5. A protocol converter for communicating data between a remote and a host, the protocol converter comprising:

a first facility operable to receive first data in a first protocol from the remote;

a utility coupled to the first facility and operable to receive first data from the first facility, the utility operable to translate first data into second data in a second protocol; and

a second facility coupled to the utility, the second facility operable to receive second data from the utility and to communicate second data to the host.

6. The protocol converter of claim 5, wherein the utility comprises:

a first utility operable to receive first data from the first facility and to translate first data into raw data; and

a second utility operable to receive raw data from the first utility and to translate raw data into second data.

7. The protocol converter of claim 5, wherein the first facility, the utility, and the second facility run as processes on the protocol converter, the protocol converter further comprising:

a communications subsystem operable to manage communications among the processes running on the protocol converter; and

a process table coupled to the communications subsystem, the process table having an entry for each process running on the protocol converter.

8. The protocol converter of claim 5, wherein:

the first facility supports at least one of a first link layer and a first line layer communications protocol;

the second facility supports at least one of a second link layer and a second line layer communications protocol; and

the utility is operable to translate the first data using the at least one of the first link layer and the first line layer communications protocol into the second data using the at least one of the second link layer and the second line layer communications protocol.

9. A method for communicating between a remote and a host, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first facility, first data in a first protocol from the remote;

translating, at a utility, first data into second data in a second protocol; and

communicating, at a second facility, second data to the host.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the utility comprises a first utility and a second utility, and further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first message from the first facility to a session manager in response to the first data;

spawning the first utility in response to the first message;

transmitting a second message from the session manager to the first utility;

transmitting an acknowledgment to the second message from the first utility to the first facility;

spawning the second utility in response to the first message;

transmitting a third message from the session manager to the second utility; and

transmitting an acknowledgment to the third message from the second utility to the first utility.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first facility supports at least one of a first link layer and a first line layer communications protocol;

the second facility supports at least one of a second link layer and a second line layer communications protocol; and

the utility is operable to translate the first data using the at least one of the first link layer and the first line layer communications protocol into the second data using the at least one of the second link layer and the second line layer communications protocol.