Method and system to connect internet protocol hosts via an application specific bus

Abstract

The present invention includes a system and method to implement Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus. In one embodiment, an IP host determines the application specific bus address of a remote device, the remote device having an IP address in addition to the application specific bus address. The IP host formats a message conforming to the application specific bus, the message containing IP data and message identifiers. The IP host transmits the message on the application specific bus. In addition, the IP host negotiates for network access on the application specific bus. A destination IP host receives the message based upon the application specific bus address of the destination IP host and authenticates the message as an IP messages based upon the message identifiers. In addition, the destination IP host extracts the IP data from the message and processes the IP data by a conventional IP network processing protocol.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus comprising: 
 determining an application specific bus address of a remote device, said remote device having an IP address in addition to the application specific bus address;    formatting a message conforming to the application specific bus, said message containing an IP datagram and message identifiers;    transmitting the message on the application specific bus;    receiving the message at the remote device based upon the application specific bus address;    authenticating the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers; and    extracting the IP datagram from the message and processing the IP datagram by a conventional IP network processing protocol.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of determining further comprises: 
 formatting an application specific bus address request message;  
 transmitting the address request message on the application specific bus; and  
 receiving an address reply message, the reply message containing the application specific bus address of the remote device.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the address reply message is received from the remote device.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of transmitting further comprises: 
 maintaining an averaging interval by at least one IP host;  
 determining a total number of frames of all types present on the application specific bus from all sources during the averaging interval; and  
 adjusting a protocol rate limit at the end of the averaging interval.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein adjusting a protocol rate limit further comprises: 
 if the total number of frames is greater than 0.9 times a network capacity, decreasing the protocol rate limit; and  
 if the total number of frames is less than 0.8 times the network capacity, increasing the protocol rate limit.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the at least one IP host uses less than protocol rate limit percent of an application specific bus capacity to transmit frames using the protocol rate limit.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the application specific bus capacity is 2000 frames per second.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of authenticating further comprises: 
 looking-up the application specific bus address for the remote device in a cache; and  
 if the application specific bus address for the device is not found in the cache, 
 formatting an application specific bus query message,  
 transmitting the query message on the application specific bus,  
 receiving a query reply message comprising the application specific bus address for the remote device, and  
 adding the application specific bus address for the remote device to the cache.  
 
 
     
     
         9 . A method of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting operation of the application specific bus, comprising: 
 determining an application specific bus address of a remote device, said remote device having an IP address in addition to the application specific bus address;    formatting a message conforming to the application specific bus, said message containing an IP datagram and message identifiers; and    transmitting the message on the application specific bus.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of determining further comprises: 
 formatting an application specific bus address request message;  
 transmitting the address request message on the application specific bus; and  
 receiving an address reply message, the reply message containing the application specific bus address of the remote device.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the address reply message is received from the remote device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of transmitting further comprises: 
 maintaining an averaging interval by at least one IP host;  
 determining a total number of frames of all types present on the application specific bus from all sources during the averaging interval; and  
 adjusting a protocol rate limit at the end of the averaging interval.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein adjusting a protocol rate limit further comprises: 
 if the total number of frames is greater than 0.9 times a network capacity, decreasing the protocol rate limit; and    if the total number of frames is less than 0.8 times the network capacity, increasing the protocol rate limit.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one IP host uses less than protocol rate limit percent of an application specific bus capacity to transmit frames using the protocol rate limit.  
     
     
         15 . A method of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus, comprising: 
 receiving a message based upon an application specific bus address, said message including an IP datagram and message identifiers;    authenticating the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers; and    extracting the IP datagram from the message and processing the IP datagram by a conventional IP network processing protocol.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of authenticating further comprises: 
 looking-up the application specific bus address for the remote device in a cache; and  
 if the application specific bus address for the device is not found in the cache, 
 formatting an application specific bus query message,  
 transmitting the query message on the application specific bus,  
 receiving a query reply message, and  
 adding the application specific bus address for the remote device to the cache.  
 
 
     
     
         17 . A method of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus comprising: 
 providing a set of IP hosts, each of said set of IP hosts having an IP address and an application specific bus address;    receiving a data message from an application within one of the set of IP hosts;    formatting a transmittal message conforming to the application specific bus, said transmittal message containing the data message and message identifiers; and    transmitting the data message on the application specific bus to a second of one of the set of IP hosts based upon an application specific bus address of the second of one of the set of IP hosts.    
     
     
         18 . A method of implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus comprising: 
 receiving a request that a datagram be sent to an IP host identified by an IP network address, the IP address contained within the request;    requesting a physical address for a control-based network device corresponding to the IP address;    receiving a reply message from the network device containing the physical address; and    transmitting IP packets over the control-based network in a manner appropriate to the control-based network.    
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus by performing the steps of: 
 determining an application specific bus address of a remote device, said remote device having an IP address in addition to the application specific bus address;    formatting a message conforming to the application specific bus, said message containing an IP datagram and message identifiers; and    transmitting the message on the application specific bus.    
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 19  wherein the step of determining further comprises: 
 formatting an application specific bus address request message;  
 transmitting the address request message on the application specific bus; and  
 receiving an address reply message, the reply message containing the application specific bus address of the remote device.  
 
     
     
         21 . The medium of  claim 19  wherein the step of transmitting further comprises: 
 maintaining an averaging interval by at least one IP host;  
 determining a total number of frames of all types present on the application specific bus from all sources during the averaging interval; and  
 adjusting a protocol rate limit at the end of the averaging interval.  
 
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus by performing the steps of: 
 receiving a message based upon an application specific bus address, said message including IP data and message identifiers;    authenticating the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers; and    extracting the IP data from the message and processing the IP data by a conventional IP network processing protocol.    
     
     
         23 . The medium of  claim 22  wherein the step of authenticating further comprises: 
 looking-up the application specific bus address for the remote device in a cache; and  
 if the application specific bus address for the device is not found in the cache, 
 formatting an application specific bus query message,  
 transmitting the query message on the application specific bus,  
 receiving a query reply message, and  
 adding the application specific bus address for the remote device to the cache.  
 
 
     
     
         24 . A system for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting operation of the application specific bus, comprising: 
 means for determining an application specific bus address of a remote device, said remote device having an IP address in addition to the application specific bus address;    means for formatting a message conforming to the application specific bus, said message containing IP data and message identifiers; and    means for transmitting the message on the application specific bus.    
     
     
         25 . A system for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus, comprising: 
 means for receiving a message based upon an application specific bus address, said message including IP data and message identifiers;    means for authenticating the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers; and    means for extracting the IP data from the message and processing the IP data by a conventional IP network processing protocol.    
     
     
         26 . A system for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus comprising: 
 a message formatted according to the application specific bus, said message containing IP data and message identifiers;    at least one source IP host connected to the application specific bus, said at least one source IP host places the message on the application specific bus; and    at least one destination IP host connected to the application specific bus, said at least one destination IP host having an IP address and an application specific bus address, said at least one destination IP host receives the message based upon the application specific bus address, authenticates the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers, and extracts the IP data from the message.    
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the at least one source IP host further formats an application specific bus address request message; transmits the address request message on the application specific bus; and receives an address reply message, the reply message containing the application specific bus address of the at least one destination IP host.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the at least one source IP host further maintains an averaging interval; determines a total number of frames of all types present on the application specific bus from all sources during the averaging interval; and adjusts a protocol rate limit at the end of the averaging interval, the at least one source IP host uses less than protocol rate limit percent of an application specific bus capacity to transmit the frames.  
     
     
         29 . A system for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting operation of the application specific bus, comprising: 
 a message formatted according to the application specific bus, said message containing IP data and message identifiers, the message identifiers used to authenticate the message as an IP message; and    at least one IP host connected to the application specific bus, said at least one IP host configured to transmit the message on the application specific bus.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the at least one IP host is further configured to format an application specific bus address request message; transmit the address request message on the application specific bus; and receive an address reply message, the reply message containing the application specific bus address of a remote device.  
     
     
         31 . A system for implementing Internet Protocol (IP) hosts on an application specific bus without disrupting the application specific bus comprising: 
 a message formatted according to the application specific bus, said message containing IP data and message identifiers;    at least one IP host connected to the application specific bus, said at least one IP host having an IP address and an application specific bus address, said at least one IP host configured to receive the message based upon the application specific bus address, authenticate the message as an IP message based upon the message identifiers, and extract the IP data from the message.    
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the at least one destination IP host further comprises: 
 a cache containing application specific bus addresses for remote devices for authenticating the message.  
 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the at least one destination IP host is further configured to look-up the application specific bus address for the remote device in the cache; 
 if the application specific bus address for the device is not found in the cache, the at least one destination IP host is further configured to format an application specific bus query message, transmit the query message on the application specific bus, receive a query reply message, and add the application specific bus address for the remote device to the cache.