System for communicating heterogeneous computers that are coupled through an I/O interconnection subsystem and have distinct network addresses, via a single network interface card
US6289388A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 11, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/162
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A first network protocol provider, executing on a first computer system and having a first network address associated therewith, and a second network protocol provider, executing on a second computer system and having a second network address associated therewith, share a same network interface card installed on the second computer system. Apparatus providing this ability comprises an interconnection between the first and second computer systems over which data can be transferred between them, and a router executing on the second computer system that routes data among the first network protocol provider (via the interconnection), the second network protocol provider, and the network interface card in a manner that enables the network interface card to be shared between the first and second network protocol providers. For example, when data is received from the network by the network interface card, the router routes the data to the first network protocol provider, via the interconnection, when a network address received with the data matches the first network address, but passes the received data to the second network protocol provider when the network address received with the dat…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.