Integrated information communication system using internet protocol

• US 6,145,011 A
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Distribution Systems Research Institute (GS1 AISBL)
• Original Assignee: The Distribution Systems Research Institute (GS1 AISBL), Miyaguchi Research Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyaguchi, Shoji, Furukawa, Hisao
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US08/962,563
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/246, 709/220, 709/219, 709/228, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2535 Multiple local networks, e.g. resolving potential IP address conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

The intergrated information communication system is comprised of an access control apparatus for connecting a plurality of computer communication networks or information communication equipment to each, and a relay device for networking the aforementioned access control apparatus. The system has functions for performing routing by transferring information by a unified address system and by changing address at the access control apparatus, and is configured such that the aforementioned plurality of computer communication networks or information communication equipment can perform communications in an interactive manner. The integrated information communication system ensures communication speed, communication quality, communication trouble countermeasures in a unified manner, without using dedicated lines or the Internet, wherein security and reliability in communication is ensured without change of a private address system.

Claims

1. An integrated information communication system (ICS) using internet protocol comprising:

a unique ICS user address system for providing addressing of ICS user frames, which are defined by RFC 791 or RFC 1883;

an ICS network address system for providing addressing of ICS network frames;

an access control apparatus having a conversion table including transit ICS network addresses, sender ICS user addresses receiving ICS network addresses, and receiver ICS user addresses;

a further access control apparatus also including said conversion table;

first means for converting an ICS user frame into an ICS network frame, having an ICS network address, based on an administration of said conversion table provided within said access control apparatus;

second means for converting the ICS network frame into an ICS user frame based on an administration of said conversion table provided within said further access control apparatus when the ICS network frame is transmitted over at least on value added network that follows the ICS network address system to said further access control apparatus.

2. An integrated information communication system according to claim 1, wherein said conversion table includes service identification information to distinguish between an intra-corporation communication, using said unique user address system, and an inter-corporation communication, using said unique user address system and a different address system, and said first and second means for converting are operable to convert frames based on whether the communication is an intra-corporation communication or an inter-corporation communication so as to perform address system conversion on a per-transmission basis and to enable selection of conversion implementation format per user frame.

3. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising a processing apparatus and an ICS net database;

wherein the system includes means for outputting results in response to a request from said access control apparatus, or in the event that the system does not have the answer to a query from said access control apparatus, the system for obtaining an answer via communication with another ICS network server using an ICS net server communication function, and outputting results of a query to a querying access control apparatus.

4. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, containing an address administration server having a relational table corresponding a relation between said processing apparatus and the ICS network address, corresponding to the ICS network address.

5. An integrated information communications system according to claim 4, comprising:

a processing apparatus;

an ICS name conversion table operable to receive a proposal of an ICS name from said access control apparatus, request an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name from said ICS name conversion table, and to notify said access control apparatus of obtained results; and

an access administration server operable to write at least the ICS user address and the ICS network address to said conversion table, and to return to the user an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name.

6. An integrated information communications system according to claim 4, comprising:

a processing apparatus;

an ICS name conversion table operable to receive a proposal of an ICS name from said access control apparatus, request an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name from said ICS name conversion table, and to notify said access control apparatus of obtained results; and

an access administration server operable to temporarily write at least the ICS user address and the ICS network address to said conversion table, and to return to the user an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name.

7. An integrated information communication system according to claim 4, comprising:

a processing apparatus;

an ICS name conversion table operable to receive a proposal of an ICS name from said access control apparatus, request an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name from said ICS name conversion table, notify said access control apparatus of the obtained results, and to return to the user an ICS user address corresponding to the ICS name.

8. An integrated information communications system according to either claim 2, wherein, in the case that said access control apparatus receives an ICS user frame, said access control apparatus is operable to read a type of charging system for each ICS frame maintained in said conversion table based on the ICS user address contained in the ICS user frame, form account information in the event that the read type is of a value indicating a charge-by-quantity charging system, notify the accounting server of the account information in the form of an account information frame, but does not form account information nor notify said accounting server of the account information in the form of an account information frame in the event that the read type is of a value indicating a fixed-charge charging system.

9. An integrated information communications system according to either claim 2, comprising an ICS frame database server operable to store a user data field contained within the ICS user frame, receive notification by usage of a user control field or a user data field within the ICS user frame of the user, and to delete, transmit and receive the stored user data field.

10. An integrated information communication system according to claim 9, wherein said ICS frame data base server is operable to temporarily store the user data field within the ICS user frame in accordance with notification of usage of the ICS user frame on the side of the transmitting user, and to transmit the stored user data field to the user on the receiving side at a timing notified by the user on the sending side using an ICS user frame.

11. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising, as a relay network, a frame relay (FR) network having as an input/output portion thereof an FR/ICS network frame converting unit for converting the ICS network frame into a frame relay format frame and for reverse conversion.

12. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, comprising as a relay network an ATM network having as the input/output field thereof an ATM/ICS network frame converting unit for converting the ICS network frame into an ATM format frame and for reverse conversion.

13. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, comprising as a relay network a satellite communications network having as the input/output portion thereof an satellite/ICS network frame converting unit for converting the ICS network frame into a satellite communications network interface and for reverse conversion.

14. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus includes a telephone line converting unit or a portable telephone line converting unit operable to convert a telephone line interface or a portable telephone line interface into an ICS network frame capable of being transferred within an ICS network, and for reverse conversion.

15. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus includes an ISDN line converting unit operable to convert an ISDN line interface into an ICS network frame capable of being transferred within an ICS network, and for reverse conversion.

16. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus includes CATV line converting unit operable to convert a CATV line interface into an ICS network frame capable of being transferred within an ICS network, and for reverse conversion.

17. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus includes a satellite communications line converting unit operable to convert a satellite communications line interface into an ICS network frame capable of being transferred within an ICS network, and for reverse conversion.

18. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising:

a relay network input/output portion within said access control apparatus; and

an FR/ICS (Frame Relay/Integrated Information Communication System) network frame converting unit, located at said relay network input/output portion, operable to convert the ICS network frame into a frame relay format frame and for reverse conversion.

19. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising:

a relay network input/output portion within said access control apparatus; and

an ATM/ICS network frame converting unit, located at said relay network input/output portion, operable to convert the ICS network frame into an ATM format frame and for reverse conversion.

20. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising:

a relay network input/output portion within said access control apparatus; and

a satellite/ICS network frame converting unit, located at said relay network input/output portion, operable to convert the ICS network frame into a satellite communications format frame and for reverse conversion.

21. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said access control apparatus is included in an FR exchanger.

22. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said access control apparatus is included in an ATM exchanger.

23. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said access control apparatus is included in a satellite receiver/transmitter.

24. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said access control apparatus is included in one of the following:

an X.25 network, an FR network, an ATM network or a satellite communications network.

25. An integrated information communications system according to claim 2, comprising:

at least one external access control apparatus provided externally; and

an access control apparatus governing administrative server provided externally;

wherein said system includes means for conducting intra-corporation communication or inter-corporation communication.

26. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus comprises an encryption means and a decryption means, said encryption means is operable, at a time of an ICS encapsulation, to convert the ICS user frame to an encryption text and to send the ICS user frame within an ICS, and said decryption means is operable, at a time of an ICS reverse encapsulation, to return the ICS user frame, which is converted to the encryption text, to an original ICS user frame.

27. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, wherein said conversion to table has registered therein a speed class and a degree of priority, and said system includes means for performing a communication in accordance with the speed class and the degree of priority.

28. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus has an electronic signature unit, and said system includes means for assigning an electronic signature to the ICS user frame when the ICS user frame passes said access control apparatus.

29. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising an electronic signature server connected to said access control apparatus, and means for performing information exchange by an ICS network server communication function.

30. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising an encryption server connected to said access control apparatus, and means for performing information exchange by an ICS network server communication function.

31. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising a conversion table server operable to show part of said conversion table to a user or to re-write part of said conversion table corresponding to a request of the user.

32. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising means for selecting, when an address described in a network control field of the received ICS network frame is not registered in said conversion table, an open-zone connection or a closed-zone connection depending on a receipt or a waste of the ICS network frame by designating an open-zone class.

33. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, wherein said access control apparatus is separated into an aggregation access control apparatus and a simplified access control apparatus wherein a user is to be connected to said simplified access control apparatus, said conversion table is divided into an aggregation conversion table within said aggregation access control apparatus and a simplified conversion table within the simplified access control apparatus, an ICS encapsulation and an ICS reverse encapsulation are performed in said simplified access control apparatus, and charging and electronic signature are performed in said aggregation access control apparatus.

34. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said access control apparatus includes a network server such as an address administration server, name server, in a case which is physically independent.

35. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising:

a relay apparatus;

an electronic signature server connected to said relay apparatus; and

means for performing information exchange by an ICS network server communication function.

36. An integrated information communication system according to claim 2, comprising:

a relay apparatus;

an encryption server connected to said access control apparatus; and

means for performing information exchange by an ICS network server communication function.

37. An integrated information communication system (ICS) using internet protocol comprising:

a unique ICS user address system for providing addressing of ICS user frames, which are defined by RFC 791 or RFC 1883;

an ICS network address system for providing addressing of ICS network frames;

an access control apparatus having a conversion table including transmitting ICS network addresses, sender ICS user addresses, receiving ICS network addresses, and receiver ICS user addresses;

a further access control apparatus also including said conversion table;

first means for converting an ICS user frame into an ICS network frame based on an administration of the conversion table provided within said access control apparatus;

second means for converting the ICS network frame into an ICS user frame based on an administration of the conversion table provided within said further access control apparatus when the ICS network frame is transmitted over an ATM exchanger network that follows the ICS network address system to said further access control apparatus.

38. An integrated information communication system according to claim 37, wherein each ATM exchanger constituting said ATM exchanger network has an ATM address conversion table and a VC address conversion table.

39. An integrated information communication system according to claim 38, wherein said ATM exchanger is further connected with an ATM address administration server and a PVC address administration server.

40. An integrated information communication system according to claim 37, wherein a communication path of said ATM exchanger network is a SVC or a PVC.

41. An integrated information communication system according to claim 37, wherein a communication path is a PVC, and a communication of 1:

N, N;

1 or N;

N is performed.

42. An integrated information communication system (ICS) using internet protocol comprising:

a unique ICS user address system for providing addressing of ICS user frames, which are defined by RFC 791 or RFC 1883;

an ICS network address system for providing addressing of ICS network frames;

an access control apparatus having a conversion table including transmitting ICS network addresses, sender ICS user addresses, receiving ICS network addresses, and receiver ICS user addresses;

a further access control apparatus also including said conversion table;

first means for converting an ICS user frame into an ICS network frame based on an administration of the conversion table provided within said access control apparatus;

second means for converting the ICS network frame into an ICS user frame based on an administration of the conversion table provided within said further access control apparatus when the ICS network frame is transmitted over a frame relay exchanger network that follows the ICS network address system to said further access control apparatus.

43. An integrated information communication system according to claim 42, wherein each FR exchanger constituting said FR exchanger network has a FR address conversion table and a DLC address convertion table.

44. An integrated information communication system according to claim 43, wherein said FR exchanger is further connected with a FR address administration server and a DLC address administration server.

45. An integrated information communication system (ICS) using Internet protocol comprising:

a unique ICS user address system for providing addressing of ICS user frames, which are defined by RFC 791 or RFC 1883;

an ICS network address system for providing addressing of ICS network frames;

an access control apparatus having a conversion table with a reception ICS network address registered therein in accordance with a user logic communications line;

means for converting an ICS user frame into an ICS network frame having a network address corresponding to the reception ICS network address registered in said conversion table and a transfer destination of either 1 or N;

means for returning to the ICS network frame the transfer destination of the ICS network frame based on an administration of the conversion table provided within said access control apparatus when the ICS network frame is to be transmitted over at least on value added network that follows the ICS network address system to another access control apparatus.