Intelligent router for remote internet access

• US 6,195,359 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pebly, Robert A., Sinibaldi, John Claude, Eng, Robert Chih-Tsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US08/951,842
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401-405, 370/465-467, 375/222
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/52 Multiprotocol routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/58 Association of routers

Abstract

A remote network server includes primary and secondary routers, each of which include means for emulating a number of different modem types, and for operating in accordance with a number of different communication protocols. Incoming calls are directed at the primary router, but are routed through the secondary router if either the type of modem making a call cannot be emulated in the primary router or if the primary router cannot operate with the protocol used by this calling modem.

Claims

1. A remote network server including:

a primary router comprising

a first primary connection interface for attachment of a first network line,

a second primary connection interface for attachment to an interconnecting line,

primary modem emulation means for emulating a modem type within a first plurality of modem types, connected to an electrical circuit extending from said first primary connection interface,

primary processing means for determining, in response to signals transmitted along said first network line, a type of modem connected to said first primary connection interface through said first network line,

a third primary connection interface for attachment to a first local area network, and

primary switching means for connecting said electrical circuit extending from said first primary connection interface with said second primary connection interface in response to a determination by said primary processing means that said type of modem connected to said first primary connection interface through said first network line is not among said first plurality of modem types;

a secondary router comprising

a first secondary connection interface for attachment of said interconnecting line,

secondary modem emulation means for emulating a modem type within a second plurality of modem types, connected to an electrical circuit extending from said first secondary connection interface, and

a second secondary connection interface for attachment to a second local area network; and

an interconnecting line extending between said second primary connection interface and said first secondary connection interface.

2. The remote network server of claim 1, wherein said primary processing means executes a task during a first portion of a cell received from a calling unit, following establishment of a connection through a channel to said primary router, to determine a modem type of said calling unit, and wherein said task performs steps of:

sending a sequence of initial signals to said calling unit;

monitoring said channel for a signal responding to said sequence of initial signals; and

determining a device type and communication speed of a modem of said calling unit in response to said signal responding to said sequence of initial signals.

3. The remote network server of claim 2, wherein said step of monitoring said channel includes reading data within a queue maintained by a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter for said signal responding to said sequence of initial signals.

4. The remote network server of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a device type and communication speed of a modem includes determining when a link request-protocol data unit has been assembled within said data within said queue and then setting a layer 2 protocol for a microcom networking protocol.

5. The remote network server of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a device type and communication speed of a modem includes determining when an originate detection pattern code is found within said data within said queue and then setting a layer 2 protocol for a an ITU specification V.42 (LAP-M) protocol.

6. The remote network server of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a device type and communication speed of a modem includes determining when a terminal ID is present in the queue data and then setting a protocol for a Video Text protocol.

7. The remote network server of claim 1, wherein

said primary modem emulation means emulates each modem type within said first plurality of modem types, and

said secondary modem emulation means emulates each modem type within said second plurality of modem types.

8. The remote network server of claim 7, wherein:

said primary router additionally comprises a first plurality of interconnected digital signal processor subsystems,

said primary emulation means emulates each modem type within said first plurality of modem types by executing a task within a first plurality of tasks,

tasks within said first plurality of tasks are individually executed within various digital signal processor subsystems within said first plurality of interconnected digital signal processors subsystems,

said secondary router additionally comprises a second plurality of interconnected digital signal processor subsystems,

said secondary emulation means emulates each modem type within said second plurality of modem types by executing a task within a second plurality of tasks, and

task within said second plurality of tasks are individually executed within various digital signal processor subsystems within said second plurality of interconnected digital signal processor subsystems.

9. The remote network server of claim 1, wherein calls into said primary router are routed through said primary switching means in accordance with capabilities of said first and second local area networks.