Behavioral translation of datalink messages between different protocols and platforms

• US 6,862,649 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lien, Steven A., Childress, Jeremy D., Rogge, Thomas H., Tipton, Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TIM T
• Application Number:
  US10/165,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 710/315, 710/100, 710/305, 370466-467, 370/395.5
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

The digital communication system (DCS) provides communication between users utilizing digital communication protocols. The DCS includes a first protocol interface system in communication with a first user for identifying a first message type of a first message being passed between the first user and the first protocol interface system. A second protocol interface system is in communication with a second user for identifying a second message type of a second message being passed between the second user and the second protocol interface system. A behavioral translator is in communication with the first protocol interface system and the second protocol interface system for receiving messages from either the first or the second protocol interface system. The behavioral translator performs behaviors sufficiently consistent with the users, based on the identifications of the first and second message types, so as to provide substantially seamless communication between the users.

Claims

1. A digital communication system for providing communication between users utilizing digital communication protocols, comprising:

a) a first protocol interface system in communication with a first user for identifying a first message type of a first message being passed between the first user and the first protocol interface system;

b) a second protocol interface system in communication with a second user for identifying a second message type of a second message being passed between the second user and the second protocol interface system; and

,

c) a behavioral translator in communication with said first protocol interface system and said second protocol interface system for receiving messages from either said first or said second protocol interface systems and performing behaviors sufficiently consistent with said users, based on said identifications of said first and second message types, so as to provide substantially seamless communication between the users.

2. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said behavioral translator is capable of obtaining data from data sources other than said first and second protocol interface systems to perform behaviors sufficiently consistent with said first and second users, so as to provide substantially seamless communication between the users.

3. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said first protocol interface system and said second protocol interface system comprise different protocols.

4. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said first protocol interface system and said second protocol interface system comprise the same protocols.

5. The digital communication system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional users having associated protocol interface systems in communication with said behavioral translator.

6. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said first protocol interface system comprises an airborne protocol interface system.

7. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said first protocol interface system comprises a ground platform protocol interface system.

8. The digital communication system of claim 1, wherein said behavioral translator performs the step of:

determining whether a received message to the behavioral translator is relevant to any of the users and ignoring the message if it is not relevant.

9. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the user of the protocol interface system from which said received message was received expects a response message in response to said received message, and if it does so expect a response message then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a response message, based on the received message; and

,

b) transferring said response message to the protocol interface system from which the received message was received so that it can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system.

10. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the information in the received message can be provided to at least another of the users in a message supportable by said at least another of the users, and if it can be provided, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a new message to be transferred to the other user via that user'"'"'s protocol interface system; and

,

b) transferring said new message to that user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

11. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the user of the protocol interface system from which said received message was received expects a response message in response to said received message, and if it does so expect a response message, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a response message, based on the received message; and

,

b) transferring said response message to the protocol interface system from which the received message was received so that it can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system; and

,

determining whether the information in the received message can be provided to at least another of the users in a message supportable by said at least another of the users, and if it can be provided, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a new message to be transferred to the other user via that user'"'"'s protocol interface system; and

,

b) transferring said new message to that user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

12. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the information in the received message contains information that may be used in subsequent translations, and if it is can be used, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) obtaining the relevant information from said received message; and

,

b) storing said relevant information for later use.

13. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the information in the received message contains information that may be used in subsequent translations, and if it is can be used, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) obtaining the relevant information from said received message; and

,

b) storing said relevant information for later use; and

,

determining whether the user of the protocol interface system from which said received message was received expects a response message in response to said received message, and if it does so expect a response message, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a response message, based on the received message; and

,

b) transferring said response message to the protocol interface system from which the received message was received so that it can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system.

14. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the information in the received message contains information that may be used in subsequent translations, and if it is can be used, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) obtaining the relevant information from said received message; and

,

b) storing said relevant information for later use; and

,

determining whether the information in the received message can be provided to at least another of the users in a message supportable by said at least another of the users, and if it can be provided, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a new message to be transferred to the other user via that user'"'"'s protocol interface system; and

,

b) transferring said new message to that user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

15. The digital communication system of claim 8, wherein, after determining that a received message is relevant, said behavioral translator performs the steps of:

determining whether the information in the received message contains information that may be used in subsequent translations, and if it can be used, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) obtaining the relevant information from said received message; and

,

b) storing said relevant information for later use; and

,

determining whether the user of the protocol interface system from which said received message was received expects a response message in response to said received message, and if it does so expect a response message, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a response message, based on the received message; and

,

b) transferring said response message to the protocol interface system from which the received message was received so that it can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system; and

,

determining whether the information in the received message can be provided to at least another of the users in a message supportable by said at least another of the users, and if it can be provided, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a new message to be transferred to the other user via that user'"'"'s protocol interface system; and

,

b) transferring said new message to that user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

16. The digital communication system of claim 9, wherein, a plurality of response messages are generated and transferred to the protocol interface from which the received messages were received so that they can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system.

17. The digital communication system of claim 10, wherein, a plurality of new messages are generated and transferred to the other user via that other user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

18. The digital communication system of claim 10, wherein, said new message is generated and transferred to a plurality of other users via those other users'"'"' protocol interface systems.

19. The digital communication system of claim 10, wherein, a plurality of new messages are generated and transferred to a plurality of other users via those other users'"'"' protocol interface systems.

20. A digital communication system for providing communication between users utilizing digital communication protocols, comprising:

a) a first protocol interface system in communication with a first user for identifying a first message type of a first message being passed between the first user and the first protocol interface system;

b) a second protocol interface system in communication with a second user for identifying a second message type of a second message being passed between the second user and the second protocol interface system, said second protocol interface system using a different protocol than said first protocol interface system; and

,

c) a behavioral translator in communication with said first protocol interface system and said second protocol interface system for receiving messages from either said first or said second protocol interface systems and performing behaviors sufficiently consistent with said users, based on said identifications of said first and second message types, so as to provide substantially seamless communication between the users, wherein said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

i) determining whether a received message to the behavioral translator is relevant to any of the users and ignoring the message if it is not relevant;

ii) determining whether the user of the protocol interface system from which said received message was received expects a response message in response to said received message, and if it does so expect a response message, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a response message, based on the received message; and

,

b) transferring said response message to the protocol interface system from which the received message was received so that it can be transferred to the user associated with that protocol interface system; and

,

iii) determining whether the information in the received message can be provided to at least another of the users in a message supportable by said at least another of the users, and if it can be provided, then said behavioral translator performs the steps of;

a) generating a new message to be transferred to the other user via that user'"'"'s protocol interface system; and

,

b) transferring said new message to that user'"'"'s protocol interface system.

21. A method for providing communication between users utilizing digital communication protocols, comprising the steps of:

a) identifying a first message type of a first message being passed between a first user and a first protocol interface system;

b) identifying a second message type of a second message being passed between a second user and a second protocol interface system; and

,

c) utilizing a behavioral translator in communication with said first protocol interface system and said second protocol interface system for receiving messages from either said first or said second protocol interface systems and performing behaviors sufficiently consistent with said users, based on said identifications of said first and second message types, so as to provide substantially seamless communication between the users.