Network access multiplexer with protocol address translation
US6822943B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2101/663
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Communication access apparatus includes a master shelf, including a master switching unit linked to communicate with a high-speed network, and a plurality of slave shelves arranged in a given system topology with respect to the master shelf. Each of the slave shelves includes ports configured to serve network subscribers, and further includes a slave switching unit, coupled to communicate with the master switching unit and to multiplex among the ports so as to provide the subscribers with access to the high-speed network, and to receive from the master shelf management messages that are addressed to an internal network-layer address that is determined uniquely for each of the slave shelves based on the topology. A management station is coupled to convey the management messages to the master shelf over a management network in which at least some of the slave shelves share a common external network-layer address by mapping the internal network-layer address of each of the shelves to a respective transport-layer address.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.