Patent · US Expired

Coordination and control of data streams that terminate at different termination units

US5717690A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
8References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 17, 1995
Grant dateFeb 10, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 17, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L69/14
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for coordinating and controlling multiple data streams representing a data transmission session that terminate in different termination units (such as network access servers). The data streams are transmitted over two or more links, collectively forming a "bundle". The termination units are linked together preferably over a local area network. One of the termination units that receives a data stream is designated as the termination unit to receive and reconstruct the call. The designated termination unit is the "owner" of the bundle. The termination unit broadcasts an advertisement consisting of a bundle mapping update packet software structure with an identification header to alert the other termination units that it is to reconstruct the call. The identification header in the advertisement notifies the other termination units that if they should receive a portion of the data stream in the bundle, they should forward their packets of data to the designated termination unit. The sharing of bundle information between the termination units gives a great deal of flexibility in the design and type of termination units that may be employed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.