WO2001063847A2

WO2001063847A2 - Automated router port extension

Info

Publication number: WO2001063847A2
Application number: PCT/US2000/042094
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Lou Dupont
Original assignee: Marconi Communications Inc
Current assignee: Marconi Communications Inc
Priority date: 2000-02-25
Filing date: 2000-11-09
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 2002-08-25
Also published as: EP1260063A2; WO2001063847A3; AU2001245060A1; CA2401051A1

Abstract

A communication system is provided that provides user equipment with a high speed link to a wide area network. The system includes a ring network that has a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths. The system also includes an access device that is coupled to one of the network nodes and coupled to the user equipment of at least one user. The access device is operable to receive an upstream data packet from the user equipment, operable to convert the received upstream data packet to a format compatible for transmission on the ring network, and operable to forward the converted upstream data packet onto at least one data communication path on the ring network. The access device is also operable to receive a downstream data packet from at least one data communication path on the ring network, operable to convert the received downstream data packet to a format compatible for receipt by the user equipment, and operable to forward the converted downstream data packet to the user.

Description

Automated Router Port Extension

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed toward the field of data communication networks. In particular, the invention is directed to a system and method for providing a high-speed interface between a user and a wide area network.

2. Description of the Related Art Many computer users have found that there are many advantages to linking computers together through a local area network ("LAN"). The most common type of LAN used is the Ethernet. The use of a LAN allows multiple users, among other things, to share programs, files, data, and to communicate using methods such as e-mail. With the growth of the internet, many computer users have also found that there are many advantages to having access to the internet or some other wide area network ("WAN"). An early option for providing WAN access was the provision of a separate communication channel to the outside world for each computer seeking WAN access. Modems and telephone lines are typically used with this option. When using this method, for example, a computer seeking internet access would gain internet access through an Internet Service Provider ("ISP") via the computer's dedicated modem and telephone line. The ISP would complete the internet connection by providing the computer with access to one of the ISP's internet router ports on a shared basis with other users. This access method, however, is highly inefficient, slow and expensive, particularly for computers linked together via a LAN.

To improve upon the earlier access methods, LAN administrators have provided computers with WAN access through non-dedicated communication channels so that resources such as modems and telephone lines, could be shared and, as a result, used more efficiently. To further improve access, the use of higher speed access media to the ISP, such as the use of DSL lines or fiber optic connections, have been proposed. The use of these higher speed access media, however, could make the cost of access for the users quite expensive. Wireless interfaces or dial-up modems could be used to reduce costs but these access means would yield a much slower connection.

Therefore, there remains a need in this art for a high speed, low cost system for providing WAN access to multiple users. There remains a more particular need for a high speed, low cost system for providing WAN access having an interface that is not complex for the user to implement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention further improves upon the access methods noted above and provides a high speed, low cost system and method for providing access to a wide area network. The present invention provides a system that utilizes a high speed communication network to provide a user with high speed access to a WAN access device. The high speed communication network is capable of providing multiple users or LANs with a high speed data communication path to a WAN access device via a high speed access medium, such as a fiber optic network, on a shared basis so that the cost per user for use of the high speed data communication path to the WAN access device is reduced. The system includes an access engine that adds value to the operational aspects of bringing up the high speed internet connection. The access engine provides an extended router port at the user's interface to the system thereby minimizing interface complexities for the user, the WAN access service provider, and the carrier that provides the high speed communication network.

The present invention provides many advantages over the presently known communication systems for providing WAN access. Not all of these advantages are simultaneously required to practice the invention as claimed, and the following list is merely illustrative of the types of benefits that may be provided, alone or in combination, by the present invention. These advantages include: (1) the use of a high speed communication system such as a fiber optic network or SONET/SDH network to transmit data between the user equipment and the WAN access device; (2) connecting multiple users to the WAN access device thereby reducing the cost per user for the high speed access to the WAN device; (3) providing a system in which the user does not have to reconfigure its equipment in order to send or receive data packets that are transmitted over a fiber optic or SONET/SDH network; and (4) providing a system in which the WAN access device does not have to be reconfigured to send data packets that are compatible with a user's communication protocol. In accordance with the present invention a communication system is provided that provides user equipment with a high speed link to a wide area network. The system includes a network that has a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths. The system also includes an access device that is coupled to one of the network nodes and coupled to the user equipment of at least one user. The access device is operable to receive an upstream data packet from the user equipment, operable to frame the received upstream data packet into a format compatible for transmission on the ring network, and operable to forward the converted upstream data packet onto at least one data communication path on the ring network. The access device is also operable to receive a downstream data packet from at least one data communication path on the ring network, operable to frame the received downstream data packet into a format compatible for receipt by the user equipment, and operable to forward the converted downstream data packet to the user.

In accordance with the present invention a protocol device for providing user equipment with an interface to a high speed communication link to a wide area network is provided. The protocol device comprises a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a data packet from the high speed communication link and also operable to transmit a data packet to the high speed communication link. The protocol device further comprises a LAN agent that is operable to receive a data packet from the user equipment and that is also operable to transmit a data packet to the user equipment.

In one embodiment, the virtual channel agent of the protocol device comprises a virtual channel framer that is operable to frame a data packet in a format that is compatible for transmission on the high speed communication link and a virtual channel de-framer that is operable to remove a network encapsulation format from the data packet received from the high speed communication link.

In another embodiment, the LAN agent of the protocol device comprises a LAN framer that is operable to frame data packets in a format that is compatible for transmission to the user equipment, an encapsulation detector that is operable to detect the frame format used by the user equipment to transfer data packets, and a LAN filter that is operable to determine whether a received data packet is addressed to the protocol device.

In accordance with the present invention, a method for providing user equipment with an interface to a high speed communication link to a wide area network is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing an access device that is coupled to a network node in a ring network wherein the network includes a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths; coupling the user equipment to the access device; receiving an upstream data packet from the user equipment with the access device; encapsulating the received upstream data packet into a format compatible for transmission on the network with the access device; and routing the encapsulated data packet onto at least one data communication paths on the ring network for further transmission to a wide area network access device with the access device.

In one embodiment, the method also includes the steps of: receiving a downstream data packet from at least one data communication path on the network; encapsulating the received downstream data packet into an encapsulation format that is compatible for receipt by the user equipment; and forwarding the encapsulated downstream data packet to the user equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing of a communication system that provides a fiber extended router port;

Fig. 2 is a more detailed schematic drawing of a communication system that provides multiple LANs with access to a WAN;

Fig. 3 is a schematic drawing of a ring network used in a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an alternate view of a communication system that provides multiple LANs with access to a WAN;

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating multiple Ethernet data framing formats; Fig. 6 is a schematic drawing of a preferred Protocol engine; Figs. 7a, 7b, and 7c are schematic illustrations of alternate LAN configurations that can be used with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a preferred process of downstream packet processing; and

Fig. 9 is a schematic drawing of system operation during a transition period.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT System Description

Referring now to the drawings, figure 1 sets forth a schematic drawing of a preferred embodiment of a communication system 2 according to the present invention. The communication system 2 provides a user or a user's local area network 3 ("LAN") with access to the internet or some other wide area network ("WAN"). In the embodiment shown, a LAN 3 is provided with internet access through a fiber optic system 4. The fiber optic system 4 provides a connection between the user LAN 3 and an internet access device such as an internet backbone router 5 ("BR"). The BR 5 has a number of ports (not shown) with internet protocol ("IP") addresses assigned thereto. Internet access is achieved through accessing the ports on the BR 5.

The present invention simplifies the access by providing a fiber extended router port 6. To the LAN 3, an assigned port from the BR 5 is made to appear to be physically located at the LAN's interface 6 with the fiber optic system 4. The provision of this fiber extended router port 6 at the LAN's interface, thereby, simplifies the interface requirements for devices 7 on the LAN 3 such as a LAN router ("LR") 7a or a LAN Host ("Host") 7b. With the present invention, the LAN devices 7 communicate with the fiber extended router port 6 using their existing LAN protocol. The LAN devices 7 aren't required to change the format they use locally on the LAN to exchange data nor do they need additional programming in order to transmit data packets to or receive data packets from the BR 5 even though a portion of the communication path the data must travel includes fiber optic networks multiplexers and other devices. In addition, with the present invention, the interface for the internet access device 5 is not made more complex. The internet access device 5 will not require modification or additional programming to accommodate the various data packet formats used on the various LANs the internet access device 5 may provides internet access for. The preferred user LAN 3 is an Ethernet LAN but other LAN types such as token ring, FDDI, etc., could be used. LAN Hosts 7b preferably are personal computers ("PCs") but optionally could be servers or other computer or communication equipment. LAN router 7a preferably comprises computer or communication hardware that forwards data from or to other computer or communication equipment on the LAN 3. LAN router 7a optionally could be coupled to other subnets (not shown) on the user's premises which interconnect other LAN hosts (not shown).

Figure 2 sets forth a more detailed view of an exemplary communication system 2 for providing a plurality of user LANs 3 with access to the internet or other WAN via a fiber optic system. The exemplary communication system 2 includes a fiber optic system that preferably is arranged in a ring network 10 and more preferably in a Synchronous Optical Network ("SONET") or SDH ring. The communication system 2 also includes a plurality of network nodes 12a, 12b, 12c, & 12d that are coupled together in the SONET/SDH ring 10, a plurality of local or user LANs 3a, 3b & 3c that are coupled to the network nodes 12a, 12b & 12c, respectively, preferably via fiber optic cables 15, and an internet or WAN access device 5 such as an internet backbone router ("BR") coupled to network node 12d.

Figure 3 sets forth a system diagram of a preferred SONET/SDH ring 20 for use in a communication system that practices the present invention. The SONET/SDH ring 20 includes a plurality of network nodes 22, labeled N0-N3, coupled in a ring structure by one or more communication paths 24A, 24B. As shown in FIG. 3, the two paths 24 A, 24B transport SONET/SDH data streams (many packets/cells) in opposite directions about the ring (i.e., east and west). The communication paths 24A, 24B are preferably fiber optic connections (in SONET/SDH), but could, alternatively be electrical paths or even wireless connections (in other types of ring networks). In the case of a fiber optic connection, paths 24A, 24B could be implemented on a single fiber 24, on dual fibers 24A, 24B, or some other combination of connections. Each network node 22 is preferably coupled to two other network nodes 22 in the ring structure 20. For example, network node NO is coupled to network nodes Nl and N3. The coupling between the nodes in FIG. 1 is two-way, meaning that each node 22 transmits and receives data (packets/cells) to and from each of the two other nodes 22 to which it is connected. Each network node 22 includes at least two transmitter/receiver interfaces, one for each connection to another node 22. The network nodes 22 could be many types of well-known network devices, such as add-drop multiplexers ("ADMs"), switches, routers, cross-connects or other types of devices. The devices 22 shown in FIG. 3 are preferably ADMs. An ADM is a three terminal device having a local add/drop interface, an upstream network node interface, and a downstream network node interface. These ADMs 22 are coupled to local nodes 26, and are used to add packets/cells from the local nodes 26 to the SONET/SDH data stream, and conversely to drop packets from the SONET/SDH data stream to the local nodes 26. A system and method for packet transport in a SONET/SDH ring network and an exemplary ADM is described in more detail in commonly-assigned United States Patent Application S/N 09/378,844 ("the '844 application), which is incorporated herein by reference. For more information on SONET/SDH formats, line-speeds, and theory of operation, see John Bellamy, Digital Telephony, 2d Edition (1991), pp. 403-425. The network nodes 22 shown in FIG. 3 may be logically connected by a plurality of virtual paths that coexist on the physical network connection(s) 24. Virtual paths are also known as logical paths or "pipes." For example, although there is only one physical connection from node NO to node Nl to node N2, there may be numerous virtual paths between these nodes, such as one virtual path from NO to Nl, another from NO to N2 and another from Nl to N2. Each virtual path may include a plurality of virtual channels, wherein each virtual channel transports packets (or cells) formatted according to the SONET/SDH SPE. The use of virtual paths in SONET/SDH ring networks is described in more detail in commonly-assigned United States Patent Application S/N 09/324,244 ("the '244 application"), which also is incorporated herein by reference. In the exemplary communication system 2 shown in figure 2, the network nodes 12a, 12b & 12c are access nodes. The network devices that make up access nodes 12a, 12b & 12c each include an access device or access card ("AC") 14. Each access card 14 is operable to transfer data packets between a user's equipment on a LAN 3 and other nodes 12 on the ring network 10. The access cards 14 of the present invention may physically reside within a network device of the SONET/SDH ring 10 or alternatively may be coupled to a network device.

The network node 12d of the exemplary communication system 2 is an internet gateway node and the network device that makes up the gateway node 12d includes a multiplexor device or concentrator card ("CC") 16. The CC 16 functions as a switch that multiplexes data packets transmitted by the access nodes 12a, 12b & 12c onto a single data transmission channel 18 for further routing to the internet access device 5. The CC 16 also functions as a switch for forwarding data packets received over the data transmission channel 18 from the internet access device 5 to one or more access nodes 12a, 12b or 12c.

Router ports are also very expensive. Because of the expense and high bandwidth capability, router ports have been configured for shared use between multiple virtual circuits and sub-interfaces. The concentrator card 16 facilitates the shared use of a router port and has a two-fold role. The concentrator card 16 merges the data from the various LANs 3 and access cards 14 on the ring network into a single pipe for forwarding to the single router port of the BR 5 to which the concentrator card 16 is coupled. In merging the data, the concentrator card 16 couples the data to different interfaces within the router port. The concentrator card's 16 second task is to take data from the BR 5, packet by packet, and forwards the data to the various access nodes 12 on the ring network. Protocol Engine

Each access card 14 includes at least one protocol engine 30, as shown in figure 4, for providing a fiber extended router port 6 to a LAN 3. The protocol engine 30 provides a permanent address for use by the LAN devices 7 when transmitting data packets to the WAN. The protocol engine 30 reformats data packets from the LAN devices 7 and transmits the reformatted data packets over the ring 10 through the concentrator interface of CC 16 to a sub-interface of BR 5. The protocol engine 30 also receives data packets from a sub-interface of BR 5 through the concentrator interface and reformats those data packets to the format used on the LAN 3. The protocol engine 30 addresses at least three main architectural issues: encapsulation, maximum transfer unit ("MTU"), and address resolution.

On a user LAN 3, a number of different data formats could be used for framing the data packets traveling across the user LAN. For example on an Ethernet LAN, framing formats such as the Ethernet 2, the IEEE802.3, the IEEE802.3+SNAP, or others could be used, as illustrated in figure 5. The protocol engine 30 simplifies the interface between an internet gateway device 5 and LAN devices 7 by handling the data encapsulation needed to transfer data between them. The protocol engine 30 makes the interface requirements for an internet gateway device 5 less complex by framing data packets from the gateway device 5 into the data framing format used on the user LAN 3 so that the gateway device 5 does not have to perform this function. The protocol engine also makes the interface for the LAN devices 7 less complex by performing the data packet framing and de- framing necessary for sending data over and receiving data from a SONET/SDH ring 10.

A preferred way in which the protocol engine 30 handles the encapsulation of data traveling to and from the user LAN 3 is by being liberal in what the protocol engine 30 accepts as Ethernet frames and by being conservative in how the protocol engine 30 forwards Ethernet frames. For example, the protocol engine 30 can accept all Ethernet encapsulation types from the user LAN 3 and only provide one encapsulation type to the user LAN 3.

MTU becomes an issue when data is transferred between different networks. The maximum data packet size for each network may differ. For example, Ethernet 2 encapsulation allows for 1500 octets of data packets and IEEE 802.3 SNAP networks are limited to 1492 octets. The protocol engine 30 is capable of handling messages received from the BR 5 that are too big for the destination user LAN 3.

The protocol engine 30 has two options when the MTU of the BR 5 exceeds the MTU of the user LAN 3. Preferably, when a data packet received from the BR 5 is too large and cannot be encapsulated into a frame for the user LAN 3, the protocol engine 30 will fragment the IP datagram to make it conform to the Ethernet layer framing, i.e., divide the data packet into smaller chunks that can be encapsulated into frames for transmission to the user LAN 3. Optionally, the protocol engine 30 can make use of the ICMP 'Datagram Too Big' message. Under this approach, if a data packet is received that is too large, the protocol engine 30 discards the entire data packet and returns an ICMP 'Datagram Too Big' message to the source of the data packet. The protocol engine 30 analyzes the 'DF' bit ("Don't Fragment") in the data packet header to determine whether this is the preferred action to take. Address Resolution is another task that the protocol engine 30 undertakes to simplify the interface between an internet gateway device 5 and LAN devices 7. When encapsulating data packets transmitted to the user LAN 3, the protocol engine 30 encapsulates the data packets in an Ethernet frame having the proper source & destination MAC addresses. The source MAC address is fixed to the one associated with the protocol engine 30. The destination MAC address is dynamically resolved. For unicast data packets, the protocol engine 30 preferably uses the ARP process.

A preferred implementation of the protocol engine 30 is shown in figure 6. The preferred protocol engine 30 includes a user LAN port 40 for interfacing with the user's LAN and a virtual channel port 42a & 42b for interfacing with the ring network 10 and completing the virtual path between the router 5, concentrator card 16, and access card 14. The LAN port 40 is the fiber extended router port 6 of the present invention. The preferred LAN port 40 has an Ethernet transmit data port connection 40a and an Ethernet receive data port connection 40b. The protocol engine 30 also has a downstream path and an upstream path for transferring data. In the downstream data path, data flows downstream from the backbone router 5 through the ring network 10 through the protocol engine 30 in the access card 14 to the user LAN 3. In the upstream data path, data flows from the user LAN 3 through the protocol engine 30 through the ring network 10 to the backbone router 5.

The preferred protocol engine 30 also comprises a Virtual Channel ("VC") agent 44 and an Ethernet Agent 46. These two agents convert data packets traveling downstream in the SONET/SDH format to the Ethernet data format used on the LAN. These two agents also convert Ethernet data packets traveling upstream from the LAN to a SONET/SDH data format. In particular, the VC Agent 44 is responsible for performing the functions required to transmit data to and to receive data from a virtual channel. The preferred VC Agent 44 comprises a VC de-framer 43 and a VC framer 45. The VC De-framer 43 is responsible for removing the overhead that is added to a data packet that has been framed or encapsulated to travel over a SONET/SDH ring. The VC Framer 45, on the other hand, is responsible for encapsulating or adding overhead to data packets that are going upstream over a SONET/SDH ring.

The preferred Ethernet Agent 46 performs the required functions to comply with a standard IEEE802.3 Ethernet Port such as preamble generation/detection, FCS generation detection, frame length checking, etc. The preferred Ethernet Agent 46 comprises a MAC Filter 47, an Encapsulation Detector 48, and an Ethernet Framer 49. The MAC filter 47 filters Ethernet messages passing over the user LAN based on the destination MAC address in each Ethernet packet. The MAC filter 47 only accepts packets destined to the MAC address associated with the protocol engine 30 and broadcast/multicast packets. The encapsulation detector 48 detects the encapsulation format used on the LAN 3 and instructs the Ethernet framer 49 on which encapsulation format to use when sending out packets. The Ethernet Framer 49 constructs the Ethernet frame surrounding the IP packet to be sent out of the protocol engine 30 onto the LAN 3.

The preferred protocol engine 30 also includes a router agent 50. The router agent 50 performs a limited routing function such as the ARP table function and IRDP snooping, etc. The preferred protocol engine 30 does not perform routing table computation When the LAN 3 includes a LAN router 7a, the router agent forwards all packets received by the protocol engine 30 that are not directly addressed to a LAN host 7b to the LAN router 7a.

The preferred protocol engine 30 also includes an address resolution protocol agent 51 ("ARP") and an ARP database 52. The ARP agent 51 initiates 'ARP request' Ethernet broadcast messages for populating the ARP database 52 and responds to Ethernet 'ARP request' broadcast messages with 'ARP replies' Ethernet messages when asked to perform binding for the IP address associated with the protocol engine's 30 Ethernet port The ARP database 52 houses the Ethernet MAC address to IP address mapping table for devices 7 on the LAN 3 The preferred protocol engine 30 includes an IRDP ("ICMP Router Discovery Protocol") agent 53 (ICMP refers to "Internet Control Message Piotocol ") The IRDP Agent snoops the protocol 'ICMP Router Advertisement' message When this message is required from the upstream interface 40b, the IRDP agent 53 is alerted of the availability of a LAN router 7a on the LAN 3, and passes this information on to the router agent 50 When an ICMP Router Advertisement message is received from the downstream interface 42a (from the backbone router 5), the IRDP agent is informed of the IP address assigned to the protocol engine 30 by BR 5

The preferred protocol engine 30 further includes a RIP (Routing Information Protocol) agent 54 which snoops messages from the upstream interface 40b. When a RIP message is snooped, the RIP agent 54 is informed of the availability of a LAN router 7a on the LAN 3, which the RIP agent 54 passes on to the router agent 50

The preferred protocol engine 30 also includes protocol muxes 55 and a protocol demux 56 The protocol mux multiplexes packets from different protocol agents The protocol demux 56 demultiplexes packets from the Ethernet input stream and sends them to the appropπate agents within protocol engine 30 In particular, ARPs, RIPs & IRDP packets are snooped from the input and copies are sent to the appropπate agents inside the protocol engine 30

The operation of the preferred protocol engine 30 will be descπbed next The VC port 42 is connected through a virtual path to the concentrator card 16, and the concentrator card 14d is coupled to the internet access device or backbone router 5 In the downstream direction, the backbone router 5 transmits IRDP messages that are received by the protocol engine 30 Through IRDP messages, the backbone router 5 advertises the IP address that it has assigned to a virtual channel ("VC") The protocol engine 30 listens to or snoops the IRDP messages for the IP address assigned to its VC and uses that address. The protocol engine 30 has a uniquely assigned IEEE Ethernet MAC address assigned by the manufacturer.

Since the protocol engine 30 has both a MAC address and an IP address, it can function as an Ethernet router port on the LAN 3. To send a message over the internet, a LAN device 7 sends an Ethernet data packet having an IP data packet embedded therein addressed to the protocol engine 30 using the protocol engine's MAC address. The protocol engine 30 then frames the data to a format for transmission over the optical ring network 10 and forwards the IP packet through its assigned VC to the backbone router 5.

To determine the protocol engine's MAC address, the host 8 can broadcast an ARP message over the LAN to the LAN's gateway IP address. The protocol engine, since it occupies the gateway IP address, sends an ARP reply message with its MAC address. The LAN device 7 remembers the protocol engine's MAC address for future routing of IP data packets.

Through the use of the present system, the backbone router 5 does not need to know the Ethernet addresses of a LAN host 7b to send IP data packets to it. The backbone router 5 merely sends data packets to virtual channels. The protocol engine 30 then forwards the IP data packet sent to its virtual channel to the proper recipient LAN host 7b. The protocol engine 30 binds the MAC addresses on the LAN 3 and the IP addresses that are coming down from the backbone router 5.

When an IP packet coming downstream from the backbone router 5 to the LAN 3 is received by the protocol engine 30, the protocol engine 30 de-frames the data packet to strip off the overhead from the optical ring network transmission and frames the data packet as an Ethernet data packet addressed to a host's MAC address on the LAN. Figure 8 illustrates the process the protocol engine 30 performs to determine the MAC address to send the data packet to. If the protocol engine 30 does not know the recipient's MAC address, the protocol engine 30 issues an ARP request over the LAN 3 for the MAC address of the recipient host. The proper host 7b replies with its MAC address. That MAC address is stored in the ARP database. In one implementation, the protocol engine 30 then frames the IP packet as an Ethernet packet and transmits the packet to the MAC address associated with the recipient host. In another implementation, the protocol engine 30 discards the original data packet and awaits the re-transmission of the data packet before it frames the IP packet and transmits it. In cases where no recipient responds to the ARP request, the protocol engine 30 optionally may send the packet to the LAN router 7a, if one exists. To determine the IP protocol address and MAC address of the LAN router on the user LAN 3, the protocol engine 30 uses the source IP and MAC addresses in the RIP advertisement message and/or the IRDP advertisement message.

Figure 9 illustrates the process the protocol engine 30 performs if the ARP database 52 does not reflect the current user LAN 3 subnet topology during transition periods (such as during a system boot-up). During such a period, the protocol engine 30 will send some downstream data packets to the LR 7a that were intended for hosts 7b on the directly attached subnet. The LR 7a, in turn, forwards the data packets to the proper hosts 7b. The transition periods, however, will be temporary because all hosts 7b are required to refresh their ARP tables. In the downstream direction within the protocol engine 30, the VC agent

44 receives data packets at the VC port 42. The VC de-framer 43 strips off the overhead that was added for transmission across the virtual channel. The resulting IP packet is forwarded to the router agent 50. The router agent 50 forwards packets destined to LAN hosts 7b to the protocol mux 55 and IRDP messages to the IRDP agent. The protocol mux 55 forwards data packets to the Ethernet framer 49. The Ethernet framer 49 formats the data packet using the encapsulation format used on the LAN 3.

In the upstream direction, Ethernet data packets from the LAN 3 are read by the MAC filter 47. The protocol engine 30 discards data packets other than IP and ARP coming upstream. If the data packet is addressed to the protocol engine 30, the data packet is further processed. The MAC filter 47 strips off the Ethernet overhead and passes the resultant IP data packet to the VC framer 45 via the protocol demux 56 and the protocol mux 55. The VC framer 45 frames the data packet for transmission across the SONET/SDH network 10. Also, in the upstream direction, the Ethernet agent 46 via the encapsulation detector 48 snoops Ethernet data packets to determine the type of Ethernet encapsulation used on the LAN. The Ethernet encapsulation format information is shared with the Ethernet framer 49 so that the Ethernet framer 49 can properly frame Ethernet packets in the downstream path. The protocol engine 30 of the present invention is capable of operation with a variety of different LAN configurations. For example, the protocol engine 30 can interface with a LAN router, which in turn interfaces with the LAN, as shown in figure 7a. Other examples include the use of the protocol engine 30 on a flat user LAN as shown in figure 7b and the protocol engine 30 interfacing with Proxy/NAT box and a mail gateway, the proxy/Nat box in turn interfacing with the user as shown in figure 7c. The present invention can also be used on other LAN configurations not shown.

Having described in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention, including preferred modes of operation, it is to be understood that this invention and operation could be constructed and carried out with different elements and steps. The preferred embodiments are presented only by way of example and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed

1 A communication system for providing user equipment with a high speed link to a wide area network comprising a) a network having a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths, b) an access device coupled to one of said network nodes and coupled to the user equipment of at least one user, said access device being operable to receive an upstream data packet from the user equipment, operable to frame said received upstream data packet into a format compatible for transmission on said network, and operable to forward said converted upstream data packet onto at least one of said one or more data communication paths on said network, said access device also being operable to receive a downstream data packet from at least one of said one or more data communication paths on said network, operable to frame said received downstream data packet into a format compatible for receipt by said user equipment, and operable to forward said converted downstream data packet to said user, and c) a multiplexor device coupled to another of said network nodes and coupled to a wide area network access device, said multiplexor device being operable to receive network data packets from at least one of said data communication paths and operable to forward said received network data packets to said wide area network access device, said multiplexor device also being operable to receive data packets from said wide area network access device and operable to forward said data packets from said wide area network access device to at least one of said data communication paths 2 The system according to claim 1 wherein said access device includes a protocol engine that performs the function of framing said upstream data packet from the user equipment into the format compatible for transmission on said network and that performs the function of framing said received network downstream data packet into a format compatible for receipt by said user equipment.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein said protocol engine comprises: a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive said downstream data packet from said network, said virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit said upstream data packet to said network; and a LAN agent that is operable to receive said upstream data packet from the user equipment, said LAN agent also being operable to transmit said downstream data packet to the user equipment.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein said virtual channel agent further comprises: a virtual channel framer that is operable to frame said upstream data packet into a format that is compatible for transmission on said network; and a virtual channel de-framer that is operable to remove a network encapsulation format from said downstream data packet that has been receive from said network.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein said LAN agent further comprises: a LAN framer that is operable to frame said downstream data packet into a frame format that is compatible for transmission to the user equipment; an encapsulation detector that is operable to detect said frame format used by the user equipment to transfer data packets; and a LAN filter that is operable to determine whether a received data packet is addressed to said protocol engine.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein said LAN agent is an Ethernet LAN agent, said LAN framer is an Ethernet framer and said LAN filter is a MAC filter.

7. The system according to claim 3 wherein said protocol engine further comprises: a router agent for routing data packets within said protocol engine; an address resolution agent that is operable to process ARP-like messages; an address resolution database that is operable to store LAN addresses; an IRDP-like agent that is operable to process IRDP-like messages; and a RIP-like agent that is operable to process RIP-like messages.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said address resolution agent is an ARP agent that is operable to process ARP messages and said address resolution database is an ARP database that is operable to store

LAN addresses.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein said IRDP-like agent is an IRDP agent that is operable to process IRDP messages.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein said RIP-like agent is a RIP agent that is operable to process RIP messages.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein said network is an optical network.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein said network is a ring network. 13. The system according to claim 11 wherein said network is an hub and spoke network.

14. The system according to claim 12 wherein said ring network is a SONET or SDH ring.

15. A protocol device for providing user equipment with an interface to a high speed communication link to a wide area network, said protocol device comprising: a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a first data packet from the high speed communication link, said virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a second data packet to the high speed communication link; and a LAN agent that is operable to receive said second data packet from the user equipment, said LAN agent also being operable to transmit said first data packet to the user equipment.

16. The protocol device according to claim 15 wherein said virtual channel agent comprises: a virtual channel framer that is operable to frame said second data packet into a format that is compatible for transmission on the high speed communication link; and a virtual channel de-framer that is operable to remove a network encapsulation format from said first data packet.

17. The protocol device according to claim 15 wherein said LAN agent comprises: a LAN framer that is operable to frame said first data packet into a LAN frame format that is compatible for transmission to the user equipment; an encapsulation detector that is operable to detect the LAN frame format used by the user equipment to transfer data packets; and a LAN filter that is operable to determine whether a received data packet is addressed to the protocol device.

18. The protocol device according to claim 17 wherein said LAN agent is an Ethernet LAN agent, said LAN framer is an Ethernet framer and said LAN filter is a MAC filter.

19. The protocol device according to claim 15 wherein said protocol engine further comprises: a router agent for routing said first and said second data packets within the protocol device; an address resolution agent that is operable to process ARP-like messages; an address resolution database that is operable to store LAN addresses; an IRDP-like agent that is operable to process IRDP-like messages; and a RIP-like agent that is operable to process RIP-like messages.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein said address resolution agent is an ARP agent that is operable to process ARP messages and said address resolution database is an ARP database that is operable to store LAN addresses.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein said IRDP-like agent is an IRDP agent that is operable to process IRDP messages.

22. The system according to claim 19 wherein said RIP-like agent is a RIP agent that is operable to process RIP messages. 23. An access device for providing user equipment with an interface to a high speed communication link to a wide area network, said access device comprising a first protocol device having: a virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a first data packet from the high speed communication link, said virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a second data packet to the high speed communication link; and a LAN agent that is operable to receive said second data packet from the user equipment, said LAN agent also being operable to transmit said first data packet to the user equipment. 24. The access device according to claim 23 wherein said virtual channel agent comprises: a virtual channel framer that is operable to frame said second data packet into a format that is compatible for transmission on the high speed communication link; and a virtual channel de-framer that is operable to remove a network encapsulation format from said first data packet.

25. The access device according to claim 23 wherein said LAN agent comprises: a LAN framer that is operable to frame said first data packet into a LAN frame format that is compatible for transmission to the user equipment; an encapsulation detector that is operable to detect the LAN frame format used by the user equipment to transfer data packets; and a LAN filter that is operable to determine whether a received data packet is addressed to the protocol device. 26. The access device according to claim 25 wherein said LAN agent is an

Ethernet LAN agent, said LAN framer is an Ethernet framer and said

LAN filter is a MAC filter.

27. The access device according to claim 23 wherein said first protocol device further comprises: a router agent for routing said first and said second data packets within the protocol device; an address resolution agent that is operable to process ARP-like messages; an address resolution database that is operable to store LAN addresses; an IRDP-like agent that is operable to process IRDP-like messages; and a RIP-like agent that is operable to process RIP-like messages.

28. The access device according to claim 27 wherein said address resolution agent is an ARP agent that is operable to process ARP messages and said address resolution database is an ARP database that is operable to store LAN addresses.

29. The access device according to claim 27 wherein said IRDP-like agent is an IRDP agent that is operable to process IRDP messages.

30. The access device according to claim 27 wherein said RIP-like agent is a RIP agent that is operable to process RIP messages.

31. The access device according to claim 23 further comprising a second protocol device having: a second virtual channel agent that is operable to receive a third data packet from the high speed communication link, said second virtual channel agent also being operable to transmit a fourth data packet to the high speed communication link; and a second LAN agent that is operable to receive said fourth data packet from the user equipment of a second user, said second LAN agent also being operable to transmit said third data packet to the user equipment of the second user.

32. A method for providing user equipment with an interface to a high speed communication link to a wide area network comprising the steps of: a) providing an access device that is coupled to a network node in a network wherein said network includes a plurality of network nodes coupled together by one or more data communication paths; b) coupling the user equipment to said access device; c) receiving an upstream data packet from the user equipment with said access device; d) encapsulating, with said access device, said received upstream data packet into an encapsulation format that is compatible for transmission on said network; and e) routing, with said access device, said encapsulated data packet onto at least one of said data communication paths on said network for further transmission to a wide area network access device.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the steps of: f) receiving a downstream data packet from at least one of said one or more data communication paths on said network with said access device; g) encapsulating, with said access device, said received downstream data packet into an encapsulation format that is compatible for receipt by said user equipment; and h) routing said encapsulated downstream data packet to said user equipment with said access device.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said coupling step includes the step of providing a LAN interface.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said LAN interface is an Ethernet interface.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said Ethernet interface is an Ethernet port. 37. The method of claim 32 wherein said received upstream data packet is an Ethernet format data packet. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein said network is a SONET or SDH ring and said framing step comprises the step of framing said Ethernet format data packet into a SONET or SDH format data packet. 39. The method of claim 32 wherein said network is a SONET or SDH ring and said framing step comprises the step of framing said received upstream data packet into a SONET or SDH format data packet. 40. The method of claim 32 wherein said routing step comprises the step of adding said framed data packet to a virtual channel in the network. 41. The method of claim 33 wherein said network is a SONET or SDH ring and said downstream data packet is a SONET or SDH format data packet.

42. The method of claim 33 wherein said encapsulating said received downstream data packet step includes the step of removing a network encapsulation format from said received downstream data packet.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein said encapsulating said received downstream data packet step includes the step of encapsulating said received downstream data packet into an Ethernet format data packet.

44. The method of claim 33 wherein said encapsulating said received downstream data packet step includes the steps of removing a network encapsulation format from said downstream data packet thereby de- framing said data packet and encapsulating said de-framed data packet into an Ethernet format data packet. 5. The method of claim 33 wherein said routing said encapsulated upstream data packet step comprises the step of transmitting said encapsulated upstream data packet as an Ethernet foπnat data packet over an Ethernet LAN.

46. The method of claim 32 wherein said network is an optical network.

47. The method of claim 32 wherein said network is a ring network. 48. The method of claim 47 wherein said network is an IP ring network.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein said ring network is a SONET or SDH network.

50. A method for extending a wide area network access device's router port to a user's interface over a high speed communication system comprising the steps of: a) providing an access device that is coupled to a network node; b) coupling said access device to user equipment at the user's interface; c) receiving with said access device an IRDP-like message from the wide area network's access device, said IRDP-like message indicating an assigned address for said access device; d) receiving a data packet from said user equipment for transmission to the wide are network; e) encapsulating said data packet received from said user equipment to a foπnat compatible for transmission on said high speed network; and f) routing said encapsulated data packet to a data path on said network.

51. A method for extending a wide area network access device's router port to a user's interface over a high speed communication system comprising the steps of: a) receiving a data packet from a high speed network; b) de-encapsulating said received data packet so that the network encapsulation format is removed from said received data packet; c) transmitting an ARP-like message over a user's LAN requesting the address for the recipient of the received message; d) receiving an ARP-like response from a user device; e) encapsulating said de-encapsulated data packet into a LAN encapsulation format data packet using the MAC address received from the ARP-like response as the destination address for the message; and f) transmitting said encapsulated data packet onto said LAN. 52. The method of claim 51 further comprising the following steps: a) listening to messages traveling across the LAN; b) determining the encapsulation format used for data packets on the LAN; and c) using the determined encapsulation format type when encapsulating data packets for transmission onto the LAN. 53. The method of claim 51 wherein said receiving an ARP-like response step includes the step of storing the received MAC address from the ARP-like response for future use. 54. A method for extending a wide area network access device's router port to a user's interface over a high speed communication system comprising the steps of: a) receiving a data packet from a high speed network; b) de-encapsulating said received data packet so that the network encapsulation format is removed from said received data packet; c) remembering the MAC address for at least one user on a LAN; d) encapsulating said de-encapsulated data packet into a LAN format data packet using a remembered MAC address as the destination address for the message; and e) transmitting said encapsulated data packet onto said LAN. The method of claim 54 wherein said encapsulating step includes the step of choosing one out of a plurality of encapsulation formats for formatting said de-encapsulated data packet.