Flexible system and method for communicating between a broad range of networks and devices
US6674767B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99942
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A flexible gateway accommodates data transfer from a data origination device over a wide variety of networks to a wide variety of destination devices, even if those networks use different protocols, and even if the devices recognize different data formats. Thus, the gateway can perform work previously requiring numerous gateways. After the gateway receives information from a data source, the gateway identifies the specific device type and the specific network type to which the information is to be routed. The gateway then calls device and network drivers associated with the specific device and network identified with the destination device. These drivers then manipulate the data using the device driver into the format recognized by the destination device, and then provide the manipulated data to the destination device over the identified network using the compatible protocol. Thus, the destination device properly receives and interprets the information provided by the data source. If, in the very next moment, data arrives at the gateway that is to be routed over a different network using a different protocol to a different device recognizing a different device, the gateway will cal…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.