Remote communications server system

• US 6,359,894 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Multi-Tech Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Multi-Tech Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Hong, Kevin, Johnson, Gregory R., Martenson, Dale W., Damodar, Bhat V, Narasimhan, Sundararajan, Davis, Jeffrey P., Sharma, Raghu
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US09/471,776
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 370/431, 370/472, 370/473, 370/435, 370/437, 370/438, 370/439, 370/468, 370/401, 315/200.47, 315/200.49, 709/223, 709/226, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 370/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5618 Bridges, gateways [GW] or interworking units [IWU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/40 Constructional details, e.g. power supply, mechanical construction or backplane
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A remote communications server system enables multiple remote users simultaneous access to a network. The system connects a plurality of on-line sessions across multiple communication lines to the network. A unique combination of multiple buses, multiple processors, and a segmented design creates a distributed processing communications system having high throughput without the stability problems associated with gigabit bus speeds. Furthermore, the system supports a mixture of communication links and allows the substitution of one service type for another without affecting the remaining communication links. The system is scalable in that segments can be added as needed and the number of lines handled by a segment can be increased.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules for converting between frames of remote user data and network data packets comprising:

a modem support layer module for distributing an incoming frame of remote user data to one of plurality of protocol layers depending on protocol information in the frame;

the plurality of protocol layer modules for removing control information from the incoming frame to create a incoming data packet and distributing the incoming data packet to a link support layer module; and

the link support layer module for distributing the incoming data packet to one of a plurality of routing modules depending on an address in the incoming data packet, wherein each routing module creates an outgoing network data packet.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of routing modules is coupled to a local area network gateway.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of routing modules is coupled to a wide area network gateway.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein:

each routing module creates outgoing data packets from data received in incoming network data packets;

the link support layer module receives the outgoing data packets from each one of the plurality of routing modules and distributes each outgoing data packet to one of the plurality of protocol layer modules depending on an address in the outgoing data packet; and

each one of plurality of protocol layer modules receives the outgoing data packets, adds control information to the outgoing data packet to create outgoing frames and directs the outgoing frames to the modem support layer module for distribution.