Local area network with server and virtual circuits

• US 5,621,734 A
• Filed: 04/08/1994
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterasys Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Duffy, Darrell J., Strecker, William D., Mann, Bruce E., Lauck, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/225,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 370/56, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/85.1, 370/94.1, 370/94.2, 370/94.3, 370/112, 370/85.2, 370/85.3, 370/85.4, 370/85.5, 370/85.7, 370/85.8, 370/85.9, 370/85.12 , 370/85.15, 340/825.05, 340/825.52, 340/825.53
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communications network has a plurality of users connected by virtual circuits to a plurality of service providers. A server has the plurality of users connected thereto. A node provides the plurality of service providers. Both the server and the node are connected to the network. A first session is established between one user and the server, and a second session is established between the node and a selected one of the service providers. A virtual circuit is established linking the first service session and the second service session to establish message transmission between the one user and the selected service provider. A message sent between the user and the service provider is sent over the network, and the message identifies the virtual circuit. Messages between a server and a node are multiplexed by having slots, and a slot contains a message from a sending session to a receiving session.

Claims

1. A system for communicating between users connected to a server and service providers connected to a node, comprising:

means in said server for establishing first service sessions between said server and selected ones of said users;

means in said node for establishing second service sessions between said node and selected ones of said service providers; and

means in said server and in said node for supporting a virtual circuit therebetween and for gathering session messages generated by said first service sessions or said second service sessions into a single virtual circuit message for transfer through said virtual circuit.

2. A system for computer communication comprising:

a network having a plurality of nodes and a plurality of servers connected thereto;

each of said plurality of servers having a plurality of users connected thereto;

each one of said plurality of nodes having a plurality of service providers;

a virtual circuit between said one of said plurality of servers and said one of said plurality of nodes;

session state machines in each of said plurality of servers for establishing first service sessions between one of said plurality of servers and selected ones of said plurality of users;

session state machines for establishing second service sessions between one of said plurality of nodes and selected ones of said plurality of service providers, said second service sessions exchanging session messages with corresponding ones of said first service sessions through said virtual circuit; and

means for gathering session messages in a single virtual circuit message for transfer through said virtual circuit.

3. A system comprising:

a server capable of connection to a plurality of users;

session state machines in said server for establishing first service sessions between said server and selected ones of said plurality of users;

a node having a plurality of service providers;

session state machines in said node for establishing second service sessions between said node and selected ones of said plurality of service providers;

a virtual circuit state machine in said server and in said node for establishing a virtual circuit between said node and said server, thereby enabling a message exchange between said selected ones of said plurality of users and said selected ones of said plurality of service providers; and

means for gathering session messages associated with said first service sessions or second service sessions into a single virtual circuit message for transfer through said virtual circuit to said node, said single virtual circuit message including a virtual circuit identification.

4. The system as in claim 3 wherein said selected ones of said plurality of service providers comprise equipment attached to said node.

5. The system as in claim 3 wherein said selected ones of said plurality of service providers comprise software applications.

6. The system as in claim 3 wherein said session messages associated with said first service sessions or said second service sessions are multiplexed in session slots in said single virtual circuit message for transfer through said virtual circuit.

7. A system comprising:

a node connected to a network, said node generating a separate session message for each of a plurality of users;

means for said node to place each said separate session message in a separate slot in a single virtual circuit message, and to transmit said single virtual circuit message into said network, said virtual circuit message identified by a virtual circuit identification;

a server connected to said network; and

means for said server to receive said single virtual circuit message, and for said server to identify said each said separate session message, and for said server to tranmit said each said separate session message to one of said plurality of users having a session corresponding to said separate session message.

8. A system comprising:

a server connected to a network;

said server receiving separate session messages from a plurality of users;

means for said server to gather said separate session messages into a single virtual circuit message, and for said server to transmit said single virtual circuit message onto said network, said single virtual circuit message identified by a virtual circuit identification;

a node connected to said network; and

means for said node to receive said single virtual circuit message, and for said node to identify each of said separate session messages in said single virtual circuit message, and for said node to transmit said each of said separate session messages to service providers having established sessions corresponding to said separate session messages.

9. A method of operating a system for communication between a plurality of users connected to a server and a node, said node having a plurality of service providers, comprising:

establishing a virtual circuit between said server and said node;

establishing, in said server, first service sessions between said server and ones of said plurality of users, each of said ones of said plurality of users requesting services from a selected one of said plurality of service providers, said first service sessions each generating session messages with information collected from said ones of said plurality of users;

establishing, in said node, a second service session between said node and each said selected one of said plurality of service providers, each said second service session corresponding to one of said first service sessions;

gathering said session messages generated by said first service sessions into a single virtual circuit message for transfer over said virtual circuit to said node; and

providing each of said session messages in said single virtual circuit received by said node to said service providers having established second service sessions corresponding to said session messages.

10. An interface unit for connection to a communications link in a network, said network including a plurality of interface units each coupling said communications link to users or service providers capable of transferring and receiving information over said communications link, said interface unit comprising:

session state machines each connected to one of said service users or service providers, said each session state machine for generating session messages with information collected from said one of said service users or service providers; and

a virtual circuit state machine coupled to said each session state machine for gathering said session messages generated by said each session state machine into a single virtual circuit message for transfer over said communications link.

11. An interface unit according to claim 10, wherein said session messages generated by said session state machines are multiplexed in session slots in said single virtual circuit message for transfer through said virtual circuit over said communications link.

12. An interface unit according to claim 10, wherein said single virtual circuit message includes a virtual circuit identification.

13. An interface unit for connection to a communications link in a local area network, said network including a plurality of interface units each coupling said communications link to devices capable of transferring and receiving information over said communications link, said interface unit comprising:

session state machines each connected to ones of said devices, said each session state machine for generating session messages with information collected from said device; and

a virtual circuit state machine coupled to said each session state machine for gathering said session messages generated by said each said session state machine into a single virtual circuit message for transfer over said communications link.