Address-transparent device and method

• US 20070008972A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Makhota, Maxym, Sifnatsch, Guenter, Richter, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,787,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

An address-transparent device is disclosed that couples between two network interfaces in a semiconductor fab for communicating packets between a host coupled to a first network interface and a tool coupled to a second network interface. Alternatively, the address-transparent device couples between two networks in a semiconductor fab for communicating packets between a host on a first network and a tool on a second network. In a first aspect of the invention, the address-transparent device routes packets between the first network and the second network that is independent of any protocol. The address-transparent device couples to the host through the first network and couples to the tool through the second network where the address-transparent device having a first port with no IP address and a second port with a subnet IP address. In a second aspect of the invention, the address-transparent device intercepts packets for local use by a data consumer that resides within or outside of the address-transparent device. The address-transparent device can intercept all or a portion of data streams, while forwards other portions of data streams to a destination. The header of the original packet is stored for subsequent use for sending a reply to an intercepted packet. In a third aspect of the invention, the address-transparent device reroutes packet to another destination by changing the header of the received packet. The header of the original packet is modified, replacing the original header information with the header information of the destination device. The header of the original packet is stored for subsequent use for sending a reply to a rerouted packet.

Claims

1. A method for operating an address-transparent device coupled between a first network interface and a second network interface, comprising:

listening and receiving a packet by an address-transparent device, the packet having a first header and being addressed to a device distinct from from the address-transparent device; and

analyzing the packet by the address-transparent device and filtering the packet by reading the first header for forwarding as addressed, intercepting for local processing, or rerouting to a destination having an address destination distinct from the addressed device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first header comprises a first destination MAC address and a first source MAC address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first header comprises a first destination MAC address, a first source MAC address, a first destination IP address, a first source IP address, a first destination port, and a first source port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the intercepting step comprises intercepting the packet for local use by a data consumer to provided added services.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending the intercepted packet to a data processor, the data processor providing additional functionalities for processing the data in the intercepted packet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data processor adds at least one function to a host coupled to the first network interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the data processor adds at least one function to a tool coupled to the second network interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the rerouting step comprises rerouting the packet having a second header including a second destination MAC address, a second source MAC address, a second destination IP address, a second source IP address, a second destination port, and a second source port.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing step comprises forwarding the packet from the address-transparent device to a destination as addressed in the first header.

10. The method of claim 1, prior to the analyzing step, further comprising determining whether the packet is sent from a data communication reply to an intercepted packet.

11. The method of claim 1, prior to the analyzing step, further comprising determining whether the packet is sent from a data communication reply to a rerouted packet.

12. The method of claim 11, prior to the determining step, further comprising checking if the address-transparent device is in a sniffer mode, wherein the address-transparent device makes a copy of the packet for local use if the address-transparent device is in the sniffer mode.

13. The method of claim 12, prior to the checking step, further comprising detecting for the presence of a broadcast storm.

14. The method of claim 13, prior to the receiving step, further comprising configuring the address-transparent device coupled to a host through the first network interface and a tool through the second network interface.

15. A method for operating an address-transparent device, comprising:

placing an address-transparent device having first and second interfaces in a physical network circuit;

in the address-transparent device, listening on the first interface for packets in a first address space;

processing the first address space packet by forwarding at least some broadcast packet via the second interface; and

based on destination of the first address packet, deciding to forward as addressed, intercept for local processing, or reroute to a destination having an address destination distinct from an addressed device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising listening on second interface for packets in the first address space.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising listening on the second interface for packets in the second address space.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising physically connecting the physical network circuit across the first and second interfaces without processing through the address-transparent device operating in a failsafe mode.

19. An address-transparent device, comprising:

a first port having no IP address;

a second port; and

a filter adapted to receive at least one packet, the filter analyzing the packet for forwarding the packet as addressed, intercepting the packet for local processing, or rerouting the packet to a destination having an address destination distinct from the address-transparent device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the second port in the address-transparent device has no IP address.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the second port in the address-transparent device has a predefined IP address.

22. The device of claim 19, further comprising a first network interface coupled to the first port.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising a host coupled to the first network interface.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising a second network interface coupled to the second port.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a tool coupled to the second network interface.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a failsafe switch having a first port coupled to a third port in the address-transparent device, a second port coupled to a fourth port in the address-transparent device, a third port coupled to the first network interface, and a fourth port coupled to the second network interface, wherein the third and four ports of the failsafe switch are directly coupled between the host terminal and the tool when the address-transparent device fails to function properly.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the first network comprises a tool network.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the second network comprises a fab network.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the second network interface comprises a private network interface.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the address-transparent device, the host and the tool operate in a semiconductor fab environment.