Short cut forwarding of local cells-in-frames traffic within local-area-networks
First Claim
1. A method of operation for a cells-in-frames (CIF) network system which enables CIF end-stations on the same local-area-network (LAN) segments attached off the same CIF attachment-device to send CIF frames to each other directly over the LAN, the method comprising:
- learning by each CIF attachment-device which CIF end-stations are attached off the same LAN segments, learning including;
monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and
recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the CIF end-stations attached to said LAN;
receiving by a CIF attachment-device of an asynchronous-transfer-mode (ATM) connection request from a first CIF end-station for connection to a second CIF end-station,wherein recording includes recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the second CIF end-station;
determining by said CIF attachment-device whether said first CIF end-station is located on the same LAN segment as said second CIF end-station;
responsive to determining that said first CIF end-station is located on the same LAN segment as said second CIF end-station transmitting by said CIF attachment device to said first and second CIF end-stations a setup acknowledgment message indicating media-access-control (MAC) addresses of said first and second end-stations;
receiving said setup acknowledgment message by said CIF end-stations;
transmitting CIF frames by said first CIF end-station to said MAC address of said second CIF end-station; and
receiving of said CIF frames by said second CIF end-station.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enhanced cells-in-frames (CIF) network system for connecting a local-area-network (LAN) to an ATM network consists of CIF end-stations and an enhanced CIF attachment-device attached to a LAN segment. The enhanced CIF attachment-device in addition to performing its conventional functions, recognizes connection requests between local CIF end-stations and sets up short-cut forwarding between such end stations allowing them to transfer CIF frames directly over the Ethernet. In a conventional system such local traffic would broken up into a plurality of cells and sent over an ATM network.
53 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method of operation for a cells-in-frames (CIF) network system which enables CIF end-stations on the same local-area-network (LAN) segments attached off the same CIF attachment-device to send CIF frames to each other directly over the LAN, the method comprising:
-
learning by each CIF attachment-device which CIF end-stations are attached off the same LAN segments, learning including; monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the CIF end-stations attached to said LAN; receiving by a CIF attachment-device of an asynchronous-transfer-mode (ATM) connection request from a first CIF end-station for connection to a second CIF end-station, wherein recording includes recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the second CIF end-station; determining by said CIF attachment-device whether said first CIF end-station is located on the same LAN segment as said second CIF end-station; responsive to determining that said first CIF end-station is located on the same LAN segment as said second CIF end-station transmitting by said CIF attachment device to said first and second CIF end-stations a setup acknowledgment message indicating media-access-control (MAC) addresses of said first and second end-stations; receiving said setup acknowledgment message by said CIF end-stations; transmitting CIF frames by said first CIF end-station to said MAC address of said second CIF end-station; and receiving of said CIF frames by said second CIF end-station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A cells-in-frames (CIF) network system for connecting a local-area-network (LAN) to an ATM network comprising:
-
a plurality of CIF end-stations; a LAN segment to which said CIF end-stations are attached; and an enhanced CIF attachment-device connected to said LAN segment, said enhanced CIF attachment-device comprising; means for recognizing a connection request from a first CIF end-station to a second CIF end-station, the means for recognizing a connection request including; means for learning which CIF end-stations are attached to the LAN segment, the means for learning including; means for monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and means for recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the second CIF end-station; and means, responsive to said connection request, for sending said first and second CIF end-stations a setup acknowledgment message containing the media-access-control (MAC) addresses of said first and second CIF end-stations, such that said first and second CIF end-stations can send CIF frames directly to each other over said LAN. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of operation of a cells-in-frames (CIF) network system which allows CIF end-stations attached on the same local-area-network (LAN) segment to send CIF frames directly to each other over the LAN, the method comprising:
-
learning by each CIF end-station which CIF end-stations are attached off the same LAN segment learning including; monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the CIF end-stations attached to said LAN; checking by a transmitting CIF end-station whether CIF frames to be transmitted to a receiving CIF end-station are being sent to a local CIF end-station, said local CIF end-station comprising a CIF end-station located on the same LAN segment as the transmitting CIF end-station; wherein recording includes recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the receiving CIF end-station; and sending by said transmitting CIF end-station CIF frames directly to said receiving CIF end-station over said LAN, when the receiving CIF end-station is determined to be a local CIF end-station. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An enhanced cells-in-frames (CIF) attachment-device connected to a local-area-network (LAN) segment, said enhanced CIF attachment-device comprising:
-
means for recognizing a connection request from a first CIF end-station to a second CIF end-station, the means for recognizing a connection request including means for learning which CIF end-stations are attached to the LAN segment, the means for learning including; means for monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and means for recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the second CIF end-station; and means, responsive to said connection request, for sending said first and second CIF end-stations a setup acknowledgment message containing the media-access-control (MAC) addresses of said first and second CIF end-station, such that said first and second CIF end-stations can send CIF frames directly to each other over said LAN. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. An enhanced cells-in-frames (CIF) network system for connecting a local-area-network (LAN) to an asynchronous-transfer-mode (ATM) network comprising:
-
an ATM network; a CIF attachment-device connected to said ATM network; a LAN segment to which said CIF attachment-device is also connected; and a plurality of enhanced CIF end-stations connected to said LAN segment, said enhanced end-stations comprising; means for recognizing local CIF end-stations, the local CIF end-stations being those CIF end-stations attached off the same LAN segment, the means for recognizing including means for learning which CIF end-stations are attached to said LAN segment, the means for learning including; means for monitoring by each CIF attachment-device of traffic on the LAN attached thereto; and means for recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the second CIF end-station; and means for checking whether CIF frames to be transmitted are being sent to local CIF receiving end-stations; wherein recording includes recording ATM and corresponding MAC addresses of the receiving CIF end-stations; and means, responsive to said check, for sending frames directly to local CIF end-stations over said LAN. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. An enhanced cells-in-frames (CIF) end-station comprising:
-
means for recognizing local CIF end-stations, local CIF end-stations being those CIF end-stations attached off the same local-area-network (LAN) segment, said means for recognizing local CIF end-stations include means for monitoring traffic on said LAN attached thereto and means for recording asynchronous-transfer-mode (ATM) and corresponding media-access-control(AC) addresses of receiving CIF end-stations attached to said LAN; means for checking whether CIF frames to be transmitted are being sent to local CIF end-stations, and means, responsive to said check, for sending frames directly to local CIF end-stations over said LAN. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
Specification