Device and method for communication over a network

• US 6,442,612 B1
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ripa, Harald, Hugosson, Fredrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US09/259,540
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 703/21, 709/203, 709/213, 709/230, 709/250, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for communication over a network. The System comprises a network application, a protocol stack and a Medium Access Control layer. Further, the system is functionally and physically divided into a network application device and a network interface device. The network application device comprises the network application and the network interface device comprises the protocol stack and the MAC layer. A physical interface for bidirectional communication is arranged between the two devices. Also, the invention relates to the network application device and the network interface device separately and to a method for transmitting and receiving information via the network.

Claims

1. A system for communication over a network;

comprising;

a network application device having a network application, an associated application programming interface (API) structuring information from the network application for subsequent processing by a network protocol stack and a first peer-to-peer communication means coupled with the API for passing network information to and from the network application; and

with said network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API; and

a network interface device coupled between the network application device and the network, and the network interface device having a network protocol stack, a medium access control (MAC) coupled with the network, and a second peer-to-peer communications means coupled with the first peer-to-peer communications means of said network application device to provide a communication link therewith, and with the network protocol stack coupled between the MAC and the second peer-to-peer communication means to execute a complete and standard set of layered network protocol processes on network information passing to and from the network via the MAC and the communication link.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication link provided by the first and second peer-to-peer connection means between the network application device and the network interface device respectively corresponds with an IEEE 1284.4 protocol.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication link exhibits a packet-based protocol for bi-directional, connection-oriented, peer-to-peer communications between the network application device and the network interface device.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network application device comprises at least one of:

a printer, a robot, a control unit and a gauge.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the set of network protocol processes executed by the network stack includes at least one protocol selected from among a group of network protocols consisting of:

TCP/IP, NetWare, Net BIOS, NetBEUI and Apple Talk.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

complementary connectors for separably coupling the network application device to the network interface device via the first and second peer-to-peer communication means.

7. A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising:

sending network information from a network application, to an application programming interface (API) both provided in the network application device, lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API

transforming, in the API, the network information to a format readable by a network protocol stack;

transporting the network information transformed in said step of transforming, from the network API to the network interface device;

processing the network information transported from the network application device in said transporting act, in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device; and

coupling the network information processed in said processing act to the network with a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the transporting act further comprises the act of:

implementing network information transport with an IEEE 1284.4 protocol.

9. A method of communicating over a network for a network application device coupled via a network interface device with the network, and the method for communicating comprising:

receiving network information from the network at a medium access control (MAC) provided in the network interface device;

processing the network information received in said receiving act in a complete and standard network protocol stack provided in the network interface device;

transporting the network information processed in said processing act, from the network protocol stack to the network application device, and network application device lacking a network protocol stack for processing the network information to and from the API

transforming the network information transported in said transporting act in an application programming interface (API) provided in the network application device; and

transmitting the network information transformed in said transforming act to a network application provided in the network application device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the transporting act further comprises the act of:

implementing network information transport with an IEEE 1284.4 protocol.