Communications system for an ISDN and a LAN, and an ISDN-LAN connection terminal

• US 5,400,335 A
• Filed: 04/24/1992
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US07/873,196
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 370/94.1, 370/58.1, 370/110.1, 370/58.2, 370/85.13, 370/85.4, 370/60, 358/442, 358/425, 358/61
• US Class Current: 370/524
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/196 Connection-circuit; Trunk; Junction circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/216 Code signals; Framing (not synchronizing)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/38 Interexchange connections, e.g. connections of different kinds of networks

Abstract

An ISDN-LAN connection terminal executes the communications control procedure of a D-channel protocol, and is connected with a LAN. An ISDN connection terminal specifies at least one of the LAN terminals by a sub-address or user-user information in a set up signal. The sub-address or the user-user information include an internet address, an electric mail address or a host name as identification information of the LAN terminal. The ISDN-LAN connection terminal transmits the data to the specified LAN terminal.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data from an ISDN terminal in an ISDN to a LAN terminal in a LAN, through an intermediate device, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device;

transmitting, by the ISDN terminal to the intermediate device after the connection has been established between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate terminal, first information containing address information of the intermediate device in a first field, and second information containing address information of the LAN terminal in a second field different from the first field;

receiving, by the intermediate device, the first and second information transmitted by the ISDN terminal;

transmitting by the intermediated device, information corresponding to the second information containing address information of the LAN terminal to the LAN terminal;

transmitting third information, by the ISDN terminal, to the intermediate device;

disconnecting the connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device; and

transmitting the third information from the intermediate device to the LAN terminal, after the connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device has been disconnected.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second information transmitted by the ISDN terminal is user-user information which is not examined by the ISDN.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include an internet address of said LAN terminal.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include electric mail address information of said LAN terminal.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include host name information of the LAN terminal.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step:

storing the third information, by the intermediate device, before the third information is transmitted to the LAN terminal.

7. A method for transmitting data from an ISDN terminal in an ISDN to a LAN terminal in a LAN, through an intermediate device, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device;

transmitting, by the ISDN terminal to the intermediate device after the connection has been established between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate terminal, first information containing address information of the intermediate device in a first field, and second information containing address information of the LAN terminal as user-user data in a second field different from the first field;

receiving, by the intermediate device, the first and second information transmitted by the ISDN terminal;

transmitting by the intermediated device, information corresponding to the second information containing address information of the LAN terminal to the LAN terminal;

transmitting third information, by the ISDN terminal, to the intermediate device;

disconnecting the connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device; and

transmitting the third information from the intermediate device to the LAN terminal, after the connection between the ISDN terminal and the intermediate device has been disconnected.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include an internet address of said LAN terminal.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include electric mail address information of said LAN terminal.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting by the ISDN terminal transmits the second information to include host name information of the LAN terminal.

11. A method according to claim 7, further comprising the step:

storing the third information by the intermediate device, before the third information is transmitted to the LAN terminal.

12. An apparatus for connecting an ISDN to a LAN, comprising:

means for establishing a connection to an ISDN terminal of the ISDN;

means for receiving ISDN communications control information having first address information in a first field and second address information in a second field different from the first field, transmitted by the ISDN terminal over said ISDN;

means for extracting the second address information from the received ISDN communications control information;

means for generating LAN data containing address information corresponding to said second address information;

means for disconnecting the connection to the ISDN terminal; and

means for transmitting said generated LAN data to the LAN, after said means for disconnecting disconnects the connection to the ISDN terminal.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said means for receiving ISDN communications control information receives the second address information as sub-address data which contains an internet address, electronic mail address, and a host name.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said means for receiving ISDN communications control information receives said second address information as user-user information.