Distributed application layer protocol converter for communications network

• US 20040032881A1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Kanehide
• Granted Patent: US 7,280,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method converts from a first application layer protocol to a second application layer protocol in a communications network. A request in the first application layer protocol is received from a requesting node in an application node. The request is sent to a converter node to translate the message to the second application layer protocol. The converted request is then sent back to the application node from the converter node. The application node can then construct a response to the request, which is also translated by the converter node, before it responded to the requesting node.

Claims

1. A method for converting from a first application layer protocol to a second application layer protocol in a communications network, comprising:

receiving a request in the first application layer protocol from a requesting node in an application node;

sending the request to a converter node to translate the message to the second application layer protocol; and

receiving the request in the second application layer protocol in the application node from the converter node.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a response in the second application layer storing, for each protocol, an address of a converter node in a table of a processing node;

receiving the response in the first application layer protocol from the converter node; and

sending the response in the second application layer protocol to the requesting node in response to the request.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a table in the application node;

each entry in the table comprising a protocol name and an address of an associated converter node.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein a plurality of addresses for a plurality of corresponding converter nodes are stored for each protocol name.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of address has an associated availability bit.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the table is constructed from information received via an I/O port of the application node.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the table is constructed from information received via the network.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the table is constructed by a protocol manager of the application node.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and sending in the application node is performed by a protocol dispatcher.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the application node includes a device specific process.

11. A system for converting from a first application layer protocol to a second application layer protocol in a communications network, comprising:

a requesting node configured to send a request in the first application layer protocol;

an application node configured to receive the request and forwards the request; and

a converter node configured to convert the request from the first application layer protocol to the second application layer protocol and sends the converted request to the application node.