Interface link layer device for long delay connections

Abstract

An interface link layer device ( 1 ) to be connected in-between a first sub net-work ( 5 ) and a long delay link ( 3 ) to which at least one second sub network ( 4 ) is connected via another interface link layer device ( 2 ) is able to simulate or replace time critical messages of the at least one second sub network ( 4 ). To set-up a network with such interface link layer devices information about the configuration of the sub network ( 5; 4 ) connected to an interface link layer device ( 1; 2 ) is transmitted from said respective interface link layer device ( 1; 2 ) to all other interface link layer devices ( 2; 1 ) connected to said respective interface link layer device ( 1; 2 ) via the long delay link ( 3 ), whereafter a respective interface link layer device ( 2; 1 ) connected thereto which received information about the configuration of at least one other sub network ( 5; 4 ) is able to perform the necessary simulation.

1 . a network device for communicating data between a first local network and a second network device that is a local node of a second local network, said network device being a local node of said first local network, and comprising: 
 an interface configured to receive, from said second network device, node information comprising node ID information pertaining to nodes remote to said first local network;    a node ID translation table configured to store node ID translation information based on said node ID information; and    a module configured to translate a node ID of packets sent via said network device from a local node of said first local network to a local node of said second local network, on the basis of said node ID translation information,.    
   
   
       2 : A network device for communicating data between a first local network and a second network device that is a local node of a second local network, said network device being a local node of said first local network, and comprising: 
 an interface configured to receive, from said second network device, node information comprising node ID information pertaining to nodes remote to said first local network;    a node ID translation table configured to store node ID translation information based on said node ID information; and    a module configured to translate, on the basis of said node ID translation information, a node ID of packets received at said network device from a local node of said second local network destined for a local node of said first local network.    
   
   
       3 : A network device for communicating data between a first local network and a second network device that is a local node of a second local network, said network device being a local node of said first local network, and comprising: 
 an interface configured to send, to said second network device, node information comprising node ID information pertaining to nodes local to said first local network;    a node ID translation table configured to store node ID translation information based on node ID information received from said second network device; and    a module configured to translate a node ID of packets sent via said network device from a local node of said first local network to a local node of said second local network on the basis of said node ID translation information.    
   
   
       4 : A network device for communicating data between a first local network and a second network device that is a local node of a second local network, said network device being a local node of said first local network, and comprising: 
 an interface configured to send node information comprising node ID information pertaining to nodes local to said first local network to said second network device;    a node ID translation table configured to store node ID translation information based on node ID information received from said second network device; and    a module configured to translate a node ID of packets received at said network device from a local node of said second local network destined for a local node of said first local network on the basis of said node ID translation information.    
   
   
       5 : A network device for interfacing data packets between a first local network and a communication path, said communication path interconnecting said first local network and a second local network, said network device comprising: 
 a memory configured to store node ID information comprising, for each of one or more nodes that are local to a network other than said first local network, a virtual node ID assigned to the respective node in correlation with a physical node ID of said respective node; and    a module configured to selectively transform, when said local network receives/sends data packets from/over said communication path, addressing information of said data packets on the basis of said node ID information from a virtual node ID to a corresponding physical node ID or from a physical node ID to a corresponding virtual node ID.    
   
   
       6 : A portal for routing data packets between a first and a second serial bus network, wherein said portal is configured to perform serial data communication with a node of said first serial bus network over said first serial bus network, said portal comprising: 
 a first interface configured to forward data packets received from said second serial bus network through a communication path to said node; and    a first module configured to transform a destination ID of said data packets to be forwarded to said node from a node ID used by a second portal into a node ID locally assigned to said node in said first serial bus network.    
   
   
       7 : The portal of  claim 6 , comprising: 
 a second interface configured to transmit data packets received from said node to said second serial bus network through said communication path; and    a second module configured to transform a source ID of said data packets to be transmitted to said second serial bus network from a node ID locally assigned to said node in said first serial bus network into a node ID used by said second portal.    
   
   
       8 : The portal of  claim 7 , wherein 
 said first module and said second module are the same module.    
   
   
       9 : The portal of  claim 7 , wherein 
 said first interface and said second interface are the same interface.    
   
   
       10 : The portal of  claim 6 , wherein said portal connects said first serial bus network and said communication path and said second portal connects said communication path and said second serial bus network.  
   
   
       11 : A portal for routing data packets between a first and a second serial bus network, wherein said portal is configured to perform serial data communication with a node of said first serial bus network over said first serial bus network, said portal comprising: 
 an interface configured to transmit data packets received from said node to said second serial bus network through said communication path; and    a module configured to transform a source ID of said data packets to be transmitted to said second serial bus network from a node ID locally assigned to said node in said first serial bus network into a node ID used by a second portal.    
   
   
       12 : The portal of  claim 11 , wherein said portal connects said first serial bus network and said communication path and said second portal connects said communication path and said second serial bus network.  
   
   
       13 : A device, in a first local network, configured to exchange data packets between a first local network and a second local network, the device comprising, 
 an first interface configured to receive information concerning all nodes connected to said second local network from said second local network;    a memory configured to store information concerning node IDs assigned to said all of second nodes as virtual node IDs based on said information received from said second local network;    a second interface configured to forward data packets to be sent to a predetermined node of said second nodes within said second local network by using said virtual node ID assigned to said predetermined node.    
   
   
       14 : The device of  claim 13 , wherein 
 said first interface and said second interface are the same interface.    
   
   
       15 : A device for exchanging data packets between a first local network and a second local network, the device comprising, 
 an interface configured to send information concerning all of first nodes connected to said first local network to said second local network, and storing node IDs assigned to said all of first nodes as virtual node IDs respectively at said second local network, wherein said all of first nodes are identified by using said virtual node IDs in said second local network; and    a module configured to transform said virtual ID assigned to data packets received from said second network into local ID which is physically assigned to a predetermined node in said first network.    
   
   
       16 : A device configured to exchange data packets between a first local network and a second local network, the first and second local networks connected via a communication path, the device comprising, 
 a first memory configured to store physical node IDs assigned to nodes which are physically connected to the first local network and for storing virtual node IDs assigned to nodes which are physically connected to the second local network;    a second memory configured to store correlation information indicating relationship between said virtual node IDs and physical node IDs;    a module configured to selectively transform said virtual node ID to said physical node ID or from said physical node ID to said virtual node ID in accordance with said correlation information, when said first local network receives/sends data packets from/to the second local network.    
   
   
       17 : A device for exchanging data packets between first and second local networks, the first local network and second local network connected via a communication path, the device comprising, 
 a module configured to assign physical node IDs corresponding to nodes which are physically connected to said first local network and for assigning virtual node IDs corresponding to nodes which are physically connected to second local network;    an interface configured to distribute information corresponding to said virtual node IDs to said second local network allowing said second local network to setup correlations between said virtual IDs and physical IDs assigned to nodes which are physically connected to said second local network.    
   
   
       18 : A device for exchanging data packets between a first local network and a second local network, which are connected via a communication path, the device comprising, 
 a memory configured to store physical node IDs assigned to nodes which are physically connected to the first local network and for storing virtual node IDs assigned to nodes which are physically connected to the second local network;    a module configured to update said stored information regarding said node IDs by performing a bus reset process when a device is newly connected to said first local network;    an interface configured to distribute said updated information regarding said node IDs to the second local network.