Connection establishment and termination in a mixed protocol network

• US 6,226,676 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Shieh, Shuching, Betsinger, Donald F., Wong, Ellis L., Leary, Mark F., Crump, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/167,916
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709/232, 709/236, 709/237, 709/238, 709/245, 709/246, 709/249, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]

Abstract

A method, translating apparatus, apparatus comprising a computer readable medium, and system for establishing and terminating an end-to-end connection in a mixed protocol communication network includes a translation function that communicates with a first device using a first communication protocol and a second device using a second communication protocol. In order to establish an end-to-end connection, the translation function receives a first data message from the first device, establishes a connection with the second device, and transmits a second data message to the second device. In order to terminate an end-to-end connection, the translation function receives a reset message from the first device, terminates the connection with the second device, and transmits a reset confirmation message to the first device.

Claims

1. In a translating apparatus having a first communication interface for communicating with a first device using a first communication protocol and a second communication interface for communicating with a second device using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, a method of establishing a connection between said first device and said second device, the method comprising:

establishing a first connection with said first device using said first communication protocol over said first communication interface;

receiving a first data message from said first device over said first connection; and

establishing a second connection with said second device over said second communication interface upon receiving said first data message over said first connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said first data message comprises an X.25 data frame including application data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second communication protocol is a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein establishing said second connection comprises establishing a TCP connection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein establishing the TCP connection comprises:

transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a first TCP SYN message in order to initiate establishment of the TCP connection;

receiving from said second device over said second communication interface a second TCP SYN message; and

transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a TCP SYN/ACK message in order to complete establishment of the TCP connection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to said second device over said second connection a second data message containing data from said first data message.

8. The translating apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said first data message comprises an X.25 data frame including application data.

6. A computer program for controlling a computer system, the computer program comprising:

first connection establishment logic programmed to establish a first connection with a first device using a first communication protocol;

receiving logic programmed to receive a first data message from said first device over said first connection; and

second connection establishment logic programmed to establish a second connection with a second device using a second communication protocol different than said first communication protocol upon receiving said first data message over said first connection.

7. A translating apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating with a first device using a first communication protocol;

a second communication interface for communicating with a second device using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol;

first connection establishment logic operably coupled to establish a first connection with said first device using said first communication protocol over said first communication interface;

receiving logic operably coupled to receive a first data message over said first connection; and

second connection establishment logic operably coupled to establish a second connection with said second device using said second communication protocol over said second communication interface upon receiving said first data message over said first connection.

9. The translating apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein said second connection comprises a TCP connection.

10. The translating apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second connection establishment logic comprises:

logic that transmits a first TCP SYN message to said second device over said second communication interface in order to initiate establishment of the TCP connection;

logic that receives a second TCP SYN message from said second device over said second communication interface; and

logic that transmits a TCP SYN/ACK message to said second device over said second communication interface upon receiving the second TCP SYN message in order to complete establishment of the TCP connection.

11. The translating apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting logic operably coupled to transmit to said second device over said second connection a second data message containing data from said first data message.

12. In a system having a first device in communication with a translating apparatus using a first communication protocol and a second device in communication with said translating apparatus using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, a method of establishing a connection between said first device and said second device, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing, by said translating apparatus, a first connection with said first device;

transmitting, by said first device to said translating apparatus, a first data message;

receiving, by said translating apparatus, said first data message; and

establishing, by said translating apparatus, a second connection with said second device upon receiving said first data message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said first data message comprises an X.25 data frame containing application data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein establishing said second connection comprises establishing a TCP connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein establishing the TCP connection comprises:

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device, a first TCP SYN message;

receiving, by said second device, said first TCP SYN message;

transmitting, by said second device to said translating apparatus, a second TCP SYN message;

receiving, by said translating apparatus, said second TCP SYN message; and

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device, a TCP SYN/ACK message.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting, from said translating apparatus to said second device, a second data message containing data from said first data message.

17. In a translating apparatus having a first connection with a first device using a first communication protocol and a second connection with a second device using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, a method of terminating a connection between said first device and said second device, the method comprising:

receiving a reset message from said first device over said first connection; and

terminating said second connection after receiving said reset message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said reset message comprises an X.25 reset message.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein terminating said second connection comprises terminating a TCP connection.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein terminating the TCP connection comprises:

transmitting to said second device a first TCP FIN message in order to initiate termination of the TCP connection;

receiving from said second device a second TCP FIN message; and

transmitting to said second device a TCP FIN/ACK message in order to complete termination of the TCP connection.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting to said first device a reset confirmation message.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said reset confirmation message comprises an X.25 confirm message.

23. A computer program for controlling a computer system, the computer program comprising:

receiving logic programmed to receive a reset message from a first device using a first communication protocol, said reset message suspending data flow on a first connection with said first device; and

connection termination logic programmed to terminate a second connection with a second device using a second communication protocol different than said first communication protocol upon receiving said reset message.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the computer program further comprises:

transmitting logic programmed to transmit a reset confirmation message to said first device.

25. A translating apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface for communicating with a first device using a first communication protocol;

a second communication interface for communicating with a second device using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol;

receiving logic operably coupled to receive from said first device over said first communication interface a reset message suspending data flow on a first connection with said first device;

connection termination logic operably coupled to terminate a second connection with said second device over said second communication interface after receiving said reset message.

26. The translating apparatus of claim 25, wherein

said first communication protocol commprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said reset message comprises an X.25 reset message.

27. The translating apparatus of claim 25, wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein said second connection comprises a TCP connection.

28. The translating apparatus of claim 27, wherein said connection termination logic comprises:

logic that transmits to said second device over said second communication interface a first TCP FIN message;

logic that receives from said second device over said second communication interface a second TCP FIN message; and

logic that transmits to said second device over said second communication interface a TCP FIN/ACK message.

29. The translating apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

transmitting logic operably coupled to transmit to said first device over said first communication interface a reset confirmation message.

30. The translating apparatus of claim 29, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol,

said first connection comprises an X.25 connection; and

said reset confirmation message comprises an X.25 confirm message.

31. In a system having a first device in communication with a translating apparatus using a first communication protocol and a second device in communication with said translating apparatus using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, a method of terminating a connection between said first device and said second device, the method comprising:

transmitting, by said first device to said translating apparatus, a reset message suspending data flow on a first connection between said first device and said translating apparatus;

receiving, by said translating apparatus, said reset message; and

terminating, by said translating apparatus, a second connection with said second device after receiving said reset message.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol;

said first connection comprises a X.25 connection;

said reset message comprises an X.25 reset message.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said second transmission protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and wherein terminating said second connection comprises terminating a TCP connection.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein terminating the TCP connection comprises:

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device over said second communication interface, a first TCP FIN message;

receiving, by said second device, said first TCP FIN message;

transmitting, by said second device to said translating apparatus, a second TCP FIN message;

receiving by said second device to said translating apparatus, a second TCP FIN message; and

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device, a TCP FIN/ACK message.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said first device, a reset confirmation message.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol; and

said reset confirmation message comprises an X.25 confirm message.