Map case network virtual connection interface system

• US 4,989,139 A
• Filed: 01/19/1990
• Issued: 01/29/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Robert M., Randall, Grayson W., Sheftic, Richard J., Spencer, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Michael R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US07/467,333
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300, 370/60, 340/825.059, 340/825.06
• US Class Current: 709/227
• 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 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

The disclosure describes a system to permit communication between two dissimilar networks that involves an interface system. More particularly, it is an interface system to permit communication between a MAP network that is utilizing common application service elements (CASE) and a network of non-MAP computer equipment. The interface system that is described establishes a connection between the two networks which involves a process of decoding data from one network into predetermined component parts, and then encoding the component parts into data for transfer to computer equipment in the other network, and then, releasing the connection when the data transfer is completed, in accordance with the State Table of FIG. 3 of the drawings.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a communication connection for the transfer of information between a real MAP network of data processing computers and a real non-MAP connection-oriented network of data processing computers, wherein each of said data processing computers in each network is a type of electronic digital computing machine that can execute collections of user created instruction programs, and can be connected to a local area network, so that said programs can communicate with other programs in other data processing computers, said system comprising:

each data processing computer in each of said networks being connected to execute predetermined user created data programs;

interface means to establish a Virtual MAP CASE connection path between a computer in said MAP network and a computer in said non-MAP connection-oriented network, in response to a request from either computer, in accordance with a State Table in FIG. 3 of the drawings;

said interface means being adapted to manage information transfer between said computers over said Virtual MAP CASE connection path in accordance with said State Table in FIG. 3 of the drawings;

so that said Virtual MAP CASE connection path presents the appearance of a real MAP connection path for the transfer of said information.

2. A method to permit communication between a network of Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) computers utilizing common application service elements (CASE) and a network of non-MAP connection-oriented computers, wherein each of said computers in each network is a type of electronic digital computing machine that can execute collections of user created instruction programs, and can be connected to a local area network, so that said programs can communicate with other programs in other data processing computers, said method comprising the steps of:

registering a user program, by a user computer, with an interface system for identifying said user program as an active MAP CASE program, in accordance with a State Table in FIG. 3 of the drawings;

establishing a Virtual MAP CASE connection path through said interface system by said user computer, in accordance with said State Table;

transferring data between said user computer in one network and said computer in the other network, in accordance with said State Table, and

releasing said connection path, in accordance with said State Table, when communication between said networks is completed;

so that said Virtual MAP CASE connection path presents the appearance of a real MAP connection for the transfer of said data.