System and method to interface a local area network with a wide area network
First Claim
1. A local area network (LAN) to wide area network (WAN) communication system comprising:
- a first computer;
a first communication device electrically coupled to the first computer configured to provide communications over a LAN, the first communication device in communication with a WAN via a first communication link;
a second computer; and
a second communication device electrically coupled to the second computer configured to provide communications over the LAN between the second and the first computers, wherein the first computer is configured to assign at least one virtual connection for each of the first and second computers to enable the first computer to route WAN data traffic across the LAN.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system that provides a multi-drop local area network (LAN) data transfer with devices on a wide area network (WAN) via a communication network is disclosed. Two methods for managing data traffic flow between individual nodes on a LAN and a WAN are also disclosed. The point to multi-point communication system may be implemented with a digital subscriber line (DSL) transceiver and compatibly configured communication devices coupled with each node or computer on a LAN. In one embodiment, the system uses a master computer on the LAN to manage protocol stacks to control the flow of downstream and upstream data traffic between computers on the LAN and WAN data traffic on a DSL. In a second embodiment, the master computer assigns at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) level virtual connection (VC) to each computer on the LAN. Each computer on the LAN identifies data traffic designated to be sent to that particular computer, removes the data from the network, and notifies the master computer that the data traffic has been received. In the second embodiment, upstream data traffic is forwarded to the master computer, which maps the appropriate ATM VC identifier before forwarding the data to the DSL transceiver for transmission. Further alternative embodiments can use a community access television (CATV) network and a wireless network to bridge the LAN and the WAN.
43 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A local area network (LAN) to wide area network (WAN) communication system comprising:
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a first computer; a first communication device electrically coupled to the first computer configured to provide communications over a LAN, the first communication device in communication with a WAN via a first communication link; a second computer; and a second communication device electrically coupled to the second computer configured to provide communications over the LAN between the second and the first computers, wherein the first computer is configured to assign at least one virtual connection for each of the first and second computers to enable the first computer to route WAN data traffic across the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for managing bi-directional local area network (LAN) to wide area network (WAN) data transfers in a communication system comprising:
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using a master computer to assign at least one virtual connection to each computer in communication with the LAN; receiving a downstream signal (WAN to LAN) at a transceiver coupled to the master computer; forwarding the downstream signal to the master computer; identifying at least one computer designated to receive the downstream signal; forwarding the downstream signal to the at least one designated computer on the LAN; receiving an upstream signal (LAN to WAN) at the master computer; and forwarding the upstream signal from the master computer to the transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A local area network (LAN) to wide area network (WAN) communication system comprising:
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means to complete a first communication link between a master computer and the WAN; means to communicate between the master computer and each remaining device integrated on the LAN and assign at least one virtual connection to each integrated device on the LAN; means to identify and forward LAN to WAN data transfers via the first communication link; and means to selectively receive WAN to LAN data transfers at each device integrated on the LAN. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification