US 5,778,189 AGranted

System and method for converting communication protocols

AssigneeFujitsu Limited

InventorsNobuko Kimura, Takashi Onodera, Noriyuki Yokoshi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A protocol conversion system that provides improved reliability in data transmission and reception. The system comprises a first node belonging to a network A, a second node belonging to another network B, and a protocol converter disposed between the two nodes. The first node uses a first communications protocol that defines a set of rules for communications in the network A, while the second node uses a second communications protocol for the network B. Serving as a relaying device between the first node and second node, the protocol converter converts the communications protocol of the messages traveling between them. The protocol converter comprises a first message processor to process the messages according to layer definitions of the first communications protocol, a second message processor to process the messages according to layer definitions of the second communications protocol, and a first protocol converter that adds and removes some control information to/from the messages for protocol conversion. The second node comprises a second protocol converter working as a counterpart of the first protocol converter.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A protocol conversion system for converting communications protocols to enable two different networks to exchange data by transmitting and receiving messages, comprising:

a first node using a first communications protocol that defines a set of rules for communications in a first network;
a second node using a second communications protocol that defines a set of rules for communications in a second network, said second node comprising
second protocol conversion means for adding first control information to the messages to be sent out and for removing second control information from the messages received, said first control information being required in frame conversion to the first communications protocol, said second control information being required in frame conversion to the second communications protocol;
and
a protocol converter, disposed between said first and second networks, for relaying the messages between said first and second nodes, comprising
first message processing means, coupled to said first node via the first network, for processing the messages according to layer definitions of the first communications protocol, second message processing means, coupled to said second node via the second network, for processing the messages according to layer definitions of the second communications protocol, and
first protocol conversion means, disposed between said first and second message processing means, for converting the messages received from said second message processing means by using the first control information removed therefrom and passing to said first message processing means the converted messages having a frame format acceptable for the first node, and for adding the second control information to the messages received from the first message processing means and passing the messages with the second control information to said second message processing means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.