Virtual interfaces with dynamic binding

Patent 5867666 Issued on February 2, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date:

August 5, 2017. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventor

Harvey, Andrew

Application

No. 906712 filed on 08/05/1997

US Classes:

709/239, Alternate path routing709/223COMPUTER NETWORK MANAGING

Examiners

Primary: Geckil, Mehmet B.

Foreign Patent References

0 384 758 A2 EP 02/13/1990
0 431 751 A1 EP 11/13/1990
0 567 217 A2 EP 10/13/1993
WO 93/07692 WO 04/13/1993
WO 93/07569 WO 04/13/1993
9401828 WO 01/13/1994
WO 94/01828 WO 01/13/1994
WO 95/20850 WO 08/13/1995

International Class

G06F 015/16

Abstract

A method and system for providing a virtual interface between a router and a network, in which the router is not connected to the network using a local interface. A method and system in which a router may be dynamically decoupled from a first network and coupled to a second network, without losing state information associated with the coupling to either network. The router comprises a virtual interface to the network, at which state information for the physical interface to the network is recorded, and a binding between the virtual interface and a physical interface, the latter of which is coupled to the network. Dynamic binding of the virtual interface to the physical interface comprises an authentication step. A method and system in which a router can be dynamically coupled to one of a plurality of local networks of differing types, such as one local network using an ethernet technique and one local network using a token ring technique. The router comprises one virtual interface for each local network interface, a physical interface comprising a PC Card (PCMCIA card) controller, and one PC Card (PCMCIA card) network interface. A router is dynamically coupled to and decoupled from a set of networks sequentially, so that an administrator or an administrative program at the router may issue administrative and/or set-up commands to each of the networks. The administrative commands comprise configuration commands, so that an administrator may configure a plurality of networks from a single source location.

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