Low-level communication layers and device employing same

• US 20060045130A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SynKloud Technologies, LLC (SY Ventures)
• Original Assignee: Zhe Khi Pak
• Inventors: Kim, Han-gyoo, Kim, Kyung Tae, Lim, Han Kyu, Hong, Il-gu, Park, Jun Mo, Ahn, Jung Kyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device employing an efficient network protocol stack. The protocol stack comprises a network-level protocol layer configured to provide a transmission service for transferring data to and from a computer network, and a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer. Alternately, each of the network-level protocol layer and the device-level protocol layer may be employed individually with other network protocol layers to construct a functioning network protocol stack.

Claims

1. A network protocol stack comprising:

a network-level protocol layer configured to provide a transmission service for transferring data to and from a computer network; and

a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer.

2. The protocol stack of claim 1, wherein the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer comprises a stream service.

3. The protocol stack of claim 1, wherein the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer comprises a datagram service.

4. The protocol stack of claim 1, wherein the device-level protocol layer comprises an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) command.

5. A network-level protocol layer comprising:

a transmission service for transferring data directly to and from a computer network in the absence of intervening protocol layers between the network-level protocol layer and the computer network.

6. The network-level protocol layer of claim 5, wherein the transmission service comprises a stream service.

7. The network-level protocol layer of claim 6, wherein the stream service retransmits a data packet over the network which has not been acknowledged by an intended recipient device of the data packet.

8. The network-level protocol layer of claim 5, wherein the transmission service comprises a datagram service.

9. A network protocol stack comprising:

a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via a transmission service of a network-level protocol layer.

10. The network protocol stack of claim 9, wherein the device-level protocol layer comprises an Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) command.

11. The network protocol stack of claim 9, wherein the device-level protocol layer comprises an AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) command.

12. The network protocol stack of claim 9, wherein the device-level protocol layer comprises a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) command.

13. A protocol for facilitating communication between at least a first device and a second device, comprising:

a network protocol layer operative to transmit a network-level command between at least the first and second devices;

a device protocol layer operative to transmit a device command relating to a device associated with at lest one of the first and second devices;

wherein

the network protocol layer and device protocol layer are transmitted within a single data packet.

14. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the device protocol layer facilitates transmission of Integrated Drive Electronics commands.

15. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the network protocol comprises:

an Ethernet-type header;

a network-level header operably attached to the Ethernet-type header; and

a data frame operably attached to the network-level header.

16. The protocol of claim 15, wherein the device protocol is transmitted within the data frame of the network protocol.

17. The protocol of claim 15, wherein the device protocol is generated within the data frame of the network protocol.

18. The protocol of claim 17, wherein:

the Ethernet-type header comprises no more than 14 bytes; and

the network header comprises no more than 16 bytes

19. The protocol of claim 18, wherein the device protocol comprises:

a first header segment; and

a second header segment operably attached to the first header segment.

20. The protocol of claim 19, wherein the device protocol further comprises at least one of:

a header digest operably attached to the second header segment;

a data segment operably attached to the second header segment; and

a data digest operably attached to the second header segment.

21. The protocol of claim 13, wherein the network-level command is operative to establish a connection between the first and second devices across a network.

22. The protocol of claim 21, wherein the device command is not processed until the connection is established.

23. The protocol of claim 21, wherein the device command is not issued until the network connection is established.