Communication node and communication terminal

• US 7,158,483 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Saito, Takeshi, Teramoto, Keiichi, Hashimoto, Mikio, Okamoto, Toshio, Takabatake, Yoshiaki, Namekata, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris; Derrick W.
• Application Number:
  US09/343,509
• Time in Patent Office: 2,743 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/408, 370/419, 370/422, 370/423, 370/464, 370/475, 370/908, 370/911, 370/254, 370/255, 370/257, 710/100, 710/104, 710/105, 710/300, 710/305, 710/306, 710/313, 710/314, 710/315
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40052 High-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus bus transfer protocol on a daisy chain bus using an embedded synchronisation G06F13/426
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40058 Isochronous transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40065 Bandwidth and channel allocation home automation networks H04L12/2803; flow control H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40097 Interconnection with other networks LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; single bridge functionality H04L12/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

The disclosed communication node has a function for recognizing one communication node on the first network as one of constituent elements in own communication node, and a function for disclosing an own configuration information regarding the constituent elements as recognized above, to another communication node on the second network. Also, the disclosed communication terminal has a function for disclosing functions in the own communication terminal as Sub Units in an AV/C (Audio/Visual Control) protocol executed on an IEEE 1394 bus, and a function for receiving at least a part of information regarding Sub Units existing in the communication node on the second network with which it is communicating. Together, these communication node and communication terminal make it possible to transmit various information transferred on the IEEE 1394 bus, to the radio node that is connected by the radio interface, and it becomes possible to execute the data communications as if the connection to the IEEE 1394 bus is made by the radio interface.

Claims

1. A communication node which is a base station node, comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network;

a processing unit configured to voluntarily recognize one communication node on the first network as one of constituent elements that constitute said communication node, and to disclose an own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to another communication node on the second network through the second interface unit such that said one communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the second network by said another communication node on the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network;

wherein the processing unit also detects a first message identifier on the second network which is described in a packet received through the second interface unit, attaches a second message identifier on the first network to the packet at a time of transferring the packet to the first network, stores a correspondence between the first message identifier and the second message identifier into a correspondence table, and identifies a message identifier on the second network corresponding to one message identifier on the first network which is described in a packet sent from the first network, by referring to the correspondence stored by the correspondence table according to said one message identifier.

2. A communication node which is a base station node, comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network;

a processing unit configured to voluntarily recognize one communication node on the first network as one of constituent elements that constitute said communication node and to disclose an own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to another communication node on the second network through the second interface unit such that said one communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the second network by said another communication node on the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network;

wherein the processing unit also has at least one of a function for reserving a network resource on the second network by using a first resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the first network, and a function for reserving a network resource on the first network by using a second resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the second network, and stores a correspondence between the first resource information and the second resource information into a correspondence table.

3. A communication node which is a base station, node comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network; and

a processing unit having at least one of a function for voluntarily disclosing a first configuration information regarding constituent elements that constitute one communication node on the first network as an own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to another communication node on the second network through the second interface unit such that said one communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the second network by said another communication node on the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network, and a function for voluntarily disclosing a second configuration information regarding constituent elements that constitute said another communication node on the second network as the own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to said one communication node on the first network through the first interface unit such that said another communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the first network by said one communication node on the first network while said another communication node is actually existing only on the second network;

wherein the processing unit also detects a first message identifier on the second network which is described in a packet received through the second interface unit, attaches a second message identifier on the first network to the packet at a time of transferring the packet to the first network, stores a correspondence between the first message identifier and the second message identifier into a correspondence table, and identifies a message identifier on the second network corresponding to one message identifier on the first network which is described in a packet sent from the first network, by referring to the correspondence stored by the correspondence table according to said one message identifier.

4. A communication node which is a base station node, comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network; and

a processing unit having at least one of a function for voluntarily disclosing a first configuration information regarding constituent elements that constitute one communication node on the first network as an own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to another communication node on the second network through the second interface unit such that said one communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the second network by said another communication node on the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network, and a function for voluntarily disclosing a second configuration information regarding constituent elements that constitute said another communication node on the second network as the own configuration information regarding what its constituent elements are to said one communication node on the first network through the first interface unit such that said another communication node is recognized as a part of the communication node on the first network by said one communication node on the first network while said another communication node is actually existing only on the second network;

wherein the processing unit also has at least one of a function for reserving a network resource on the second network by using a first resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the first network, and a function for reserving a network resource on the first network by using a second resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the second network, and stores a correspondence between the first resource information and the second resource information into a correspondence table.

5. A communication node which is a base station node, comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network;

a processing unit configured to carry out packet input/output processing according to a protocol of the second network, and transfer data to be exchanged at an interface between the processing unit and an application executed on another communication node on the second network, through the first interface unit, on behalf of the application executed on said another communication node on the second network, so as to handle one communication node connected through the first interface unit as if said one communication node is connected to the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network;

wherein the processing unit also detects a first message identifier on the second network which is described in a packet received through the second interface unit, attaches a second message identifier on the first network to the packet at a time of transferring the packet to the first network, stores a correspondence between the first message identifier and the second message identifier into a correspondence table, and identifies a message identifier on the second network corresponding to one message identifier on the first network which is described in a packet sent from the first network, by referring to the correspondence stored by the correspondence table according to said one message identifier.

6. A communication node which is a base station node, comprising:

a first interface unit connected to a first network which is a radio network;

a second interface unit connected to a second network which is a non-radio network;

a processing unit configured to carry out packet input/output processing according to a protocol of the second network, and transfer data to be exchanged at an interface between the processing unit and an application executed on another communication node on the second network, through the first interface unit, on behalf of the application executed on said another communication node on the second network, so as to handle one communication node connected through the first interface unit as if said one communication node is connected to the second network while said one communication node is actually existing only on the first network;

wherein the processing unit also has at least one of a function for reserving a network resource on the second network by using a first resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the first network, and a function for reserving a network resource on the first network by using a second resource information regarding a network resource reserved on the second network, and stores a correspondence between the first resource information and the second resource information into a correspondence table.