Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMMUNICATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, SUPERIOR SYSTEM THEREOF,
COMMUNICATION PROCESSING SYSTEM,
COMMUNICATION PROCESSING SYSTEM NETWORK AND
COMMUNICATION PROCESSING PROCESS
BACKGROUND OF THE TNVRNTTnN
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a
communication processing apparatus, a superior system thereof,
a communication processing system, a communication processing
system network and a communication processing process . More
particularly, the invention relates to communication
processing apparatus, a superior system thereof, a
communication processing system, a communication processing
system network and a communication processing process adapted
for receiving data from a plurality kind of mutually distinct
networks.
Description of the Relaters rt
As shown in Fig. 11, conventionally, when a plurality
of networks are built in one communication processing apparatus,
a plurality of hardware of mutually distinct specifications
for terminating respective networks become necessary for
respective network interfaces. As shown in Fig. 11, it is
required an Ethernet device 31-1, a PPP (Point to Point
Protocol) device 31-2 and an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
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device 31-3. On the other hand, in order top process data
received from respective networks by a superior software 5,
respective drivers 2-1 to 2-3 corresponding to respective
devices 31-1 to 31-3 become necessary.
Normally, specifications of these network interfaces are
mutually different. In proportion to number of network
interfaces, complexity of the overall system is increased to
require a long design period. On the other hand, in the
conventional system construction, upon adding new network
interface, influence extends over the overall system to cause
difficulty in assuring scalability. Upon incorporating a
plurality of network interface, complexity of control is
increased in proportion to number of interfaces to be
incorporated to increase scale of design of both of
hardware/software and to cause prolongation of design period.
SUI~'LM_ARV OF THE TNVRNTT(~N
The present invention has been worked out for solving
the problem in the prior art. Therefore, it is an object of
the present invention to provide a communication processing
apparatus, a superior system thereof, a communication
processing system, a communication processing system network
and a communication processing process, which may not increase
complexity of construction of an overall system even when a
plurality of different interfaces are established.
According to the first aspect of the present invention,
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a communication processing apparatus comprises:
data dividing means for dividing reception data received
from one of a plurality of mutually different networks into
a predetermined length of data;
identification information adding means for adding an
identification information for identifying the network
received from the reception data among the plurality of kinds
of networks to data divided by the data dividing means to
establish a fixed length data, for transmitting the fixed length
data added the identification information to a superior unit.
According to the second aspect of the present invention,
a superior unit connected to a communication processing
apparatus transmitting a received data in a form of a fixed
length data added an identification information identifying
a network,. through which the received data is received,
comprises:
data reading means for reading out the fixed length data
from a memory storing the fixed length data; and
data processing means for performing process
corresponding to identification information added to the fixed
length data read out from the memory for the data.
According to the third aspect of the present invention,
a communication processing system comprises:
communication processing apparatus including:
data dividing means for dividing reception data
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received from one of a plurality of mutually different
networks into a predetermined length of data;
identification information adding means for
adding an identification information for identifying
the network received from the reception data among the
plurality of kinds of networks to data divided by the
data dividing means to establish a fixed length data,
for transmitting the fixed length data added the
identification information to a superior unit;
a superior unit including:
data reading means for reading out the fixed length
data from a memory storing the fixed length data; and
data processing means for performing process
corresponding to identification information added to
the fixed length data read out from the memory for the
data.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention,
a communication processing system network comprises:
a plurality of communication processing systems set forth
above;
a common network provided commonly to the plurality of
communication processing systems, for mutually exchanging a
fixed length data between the plurality of communication
processing systems via the common network.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention,
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a communication processing method comprises the steps of:
a step of dividing a received data received from one of
a plurality of mutually different kinds of networks into a
predetermined length of data;
a step of reading out the received data in a predetermined
data amount and adding identification information identifying
the network, through which the received data is received, for
establishing a fixed length data; and
a step of transmitting the fixed length data added the
identification information to a superior unit.
In short, in the apparatus set forth above, the packet
data arriving from a plurality of mutually different network
interfaces is divided into a plurality of data fractions to
establish fixed length data of a list structure by adding header
indicating network information through which the packet
arrives . Namely, by the network kind information in the header,
the fixed length data are connected in a chain form to establish
a list structure. Then, per the fixed length data, process
corresponding to kind of the network is performed. Therefore,
driver software managing interface with hardware required is
only one driver parsing only structure of the fixed length data.
Accordingly, it becomes unnecessary to provide a plurality of
network drivers.
On the other hand, the hardware may perform only operation
for writing the arriving packet to a memory according to the
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preliminarily defined fixed length buffer. Then, these
features, in the communication apparatus having a plurality
of interfaces, packet data management, simplification of
control structure, reduction of hardware resource and software
resource can be achieved.
The present invention will be understood more fully from
the detailed description given hereinafter and from the
accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention, which, however, should not be taken to be
limitative to the invention, but are for explanation and
understanding only.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is an illustration showing a system construction
of one embodiment of a communication processing apparatus
according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an illustration showing a construction of a
fixed length data stored with dividing a memory;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a
particular construction of the communication processing
apparatus;
Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal
construction of each network interface in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing operation of respective
part of Fig. 1;
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Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing one example of a
constructionfor connection between each network interface and
a packet store memory (PSM) in Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing another example of a
construction for connection between each network interface and
a packet store memory (PSM) in Fig. 1;
Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing a detailed connection
in the case of connection of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a detailed connection
in the case of connection of Fig. 7;
Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a construction of one
embodiment of a communication processing system network
according to the present invention; and
Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing a construction of the
conventional communication processing apparatus.
The present invention will be discussed hereinafter in
detail in terms of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the
following description, numerous specific details are set forth
in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present
invention. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in
the art that the present invention may be practiced without
these specific details. In other instance, well-known
structure are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessary
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obscurity of the present invention.
Fig . 1 is an illustration showing a system construction
showing one embodiment of a communication processing system
according to the present invention. In Fig. 1, the shown
embodiment of the communication processing system has a
hardware portion including network interfaces 1-1 to 1-3 and
a packet store memory (PSM) 2, a software portion consisted
of network drivers 4 and a superior software 5, and a buffer
interface 3 interfacing the hardware portion and the software
portion. Here, as network interfaces 1-1 to 1-3, mutually
distinct three kinds of "Net A", "Net B" and "Net C" are
exemplarily established in one communication processing
system.
Packet data received from a plurality of mutually
distinct network interfaces 1-1 to 1-3 are stored in the PSM
2 irrespective of media of input. In this case, the received
packet data is stored in the PSM 2 with dividing into fixed
length data having a list structure.
On the other hand, when the packet data is stored in a
fixed length buffer, port inputted that identification
information for identifying the network through which the
packet data is received, are written in headers of the packet
data. By this, the superior software 5 makes judgment of the
network through which the data is received.
Fig. 2 shows one example of a fixed length data having
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a list structure. At first, the fixed length data is stored
in the PSM 2 per n bites . For example, as shown in Fig . 2 , the
fixed length data is stored in the PSM 2 per 128 bytes, in the
shown embodiment. In Fig. 2, "next" field 21 is a pointer
pointing the next fixed length data. By this, a list structure
is established. A "len" field 22 represents a size of data in
the fixed length buffer, a "data" field 23 represents a data
storage position pointer in the fixed length buffer. A "type"
field 24 indicatives whether the fixed length buffer contains
the data at the leading end of the packet data in the case when
the size of the packet data is too long to stored in the fixed
length buffer size and thus is expressed by the list structure
of a plurality of fixed length buffers.
A "pktlen" field 25 represents a size of an overall packet
data. When the received packet data has a data length to be
shorter than or equal to the data length of the fixed data length,
the "len" field 22 and the "pltlen" field 25 should have the
same value. An "input-id" filed 26 is a field used for making
judgment of kind of the network interface used upon reception.
Data 20 is established by dividing the received packet data
to predetermined length. And, data 20 becomes a payload
portion for a header portion consisted of fields 21 to 26. In
the shown embodiment, the header portion has 24 bytes and the
payload portion has 104 bytes . It should be noted that amount
of bytes in the header portion and the payload portion are not
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limited to the foregoing example to decrease amount of bytes
of the header portion and to increase amount of bytes of the
payload portion.
Data 20 stored in the payload portion is transferred to
the superior software with maintaining the form of the fixed
length as shown in Fig. 2, and is removed the header portion
for connection of data based on the "next" field 21. Then,
desired process is performed for the data.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of particular
construction of the shown embodiment of the communication
processingsystem. The communication processingsystem,shown
in Fig. 3, takes CPU 5-1 as a core of the overall system. And,
OS(operating system) 5-2 operating on the CPU 5-1 manages the
software. In the shown embodiment, there is provided
respective input ports of an Ethernet device 31-1, a PPP device
31-2 and an ATM device 31-3,as network interface. As a network
superior protocols, TCP/IP protocol consisted of an IP layer
(Internet Protocol Layer) 5-3, a TCP layer (Transmission
Control Protocol Layer ) 5-5, a UDP layer ( User Datagram Protocol
Layer) 5-6 and a socket interface layer 5-7, and an ATM protocol
5-4 are loaded.
On the other hand, superior to OS 5-2 and the socket
interface layer 5-6, an API (Application programming
Interface) 5-8 is positioned. This API 5-8 performs own
process of application software using the received data.
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In the construction shown in Fig. 3, it is not necessary
for providing a plurality of the network drivers 4 and is
required to provide only one driver having a function for
accessing a fixed length data in the PSM 2. Next, discussion
will be given for an example of process with reference to Fig.
3. Now, it is assumed that a packet data is received through
the Ethernet port of the communication processing system. Then,
the Ethernet device 31-1 reserves regions for storing a
plurality of fixed length data in a form of a list structure
on the PSM 2 if the received packet size is greater than or
equal to a predetermined fixed length buffer size, to copy the
packet data . Upon completion of copying of the packet data to
the PSM 2, the Ethernet device 31-1 notifies completion of
copying to the network driver 4. In response to this, the
network driver 4 is activated. Then, the network driver 4
parses content of the fixed length data to transfer the process
to the IP layer 5-3 to terminate operation.
In the shown embodiment of the communication processing
system, irrespective of the network interface (in the shown
case, the Ethernet device 31-1, the PPP device 31-2 and the
ATM device 31-3), through which the packet is received, the
following items are common . Namely, the network device copies
the fixed length data to the regions reserved for the fixed
length data on the PSM 2. The network driver 4 is required to
provide one driver for reading out the fixed length data as
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interface with the hardware.
Next, discussion will be given for an example of the
internal construction of the network interface in Fig. 1, with
reference to Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, there is shown an example of
the internal construction of the Ethernet device 31-1 in Fig.
1. Referring to Fig. 4, the Ethernet device 31-1 includes a
buffer 32 for accumulating data received from the Ethernet,
a control circuit 33 for managing a write pointer WP and a read
pointer RP for the buffer 32 and a header adding portion 34
for generating and adding a header.
In such construction, the write pointer WP and the read
pointer RP are managed to read out data of a predetermined number
of bytes ( a . g . 104 bytes ) from the buffer 32 . Then, the header
of the predetermined number of bytes ( a . g . 24 bytes ) is added
to the read out data by the header adding portion 34. By this,
the fixed length data (e. g. data of 128 bytes) is generated.
Then, the fixed length data thus generated is stored in the
PSM 2 set forth above.
And, data read out sequentially from the buffer 32 for
the header adding sequentially, also. Then, the fixed length
data in a form as shown Fig.2, is generated sequentially.
Returning to Fig . 3 , the f fixed length data stored in the
PSM 2 is received by the superior software via the buffer
interface 3 and the network driver 4 to perform the
predetermined process. In this case, the fixed length data is
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sequentially written in a working main memory ( not shown ) under
control of CPU 5-1. At this time, with reference to the "next"
field of the header added to the fixed length data, connection
of data is performed. At this time, after deleting the header
added to the fixed length data, data connection is performed.
In short, in the shown embodiment of the system, a
communication processing method shown in Fig. 5 is executed.
Namely, referring to Fig. 5, upon reception of data from the
network (step S51), the received data is accumulated in~the
buffer in the network interface. Then, for the accumulated
received data, data size is checked ( step S52 ) to reserve
necessary number of regions for storing the fixed length data
in the PSM 2 (step S53).
After reserving the region, the header is generated by
the header adding portion 34 ( see Fig. 4 ) ( step S54 ) to write
the fixed length data consisted of the header and the data in
the region (step S55). When the received data extend over a
plurality of regions, steps S53 to S55 are repeatedly executed
as shown in broken line. Namely, reserving of the fixed length
data storage regions ( step S53 ) , generation of the header ( step
S54) and writing of the fixed length data (step S55) are
repeatedly executed. By this, the received data is dividingly
written in the PSM 2 per the fixed length.
Upon completion of writing of the received data to the
PSM 2, completion of data writing is notified to the network
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driver (step S56). Then, the superior software receives data
by performing reading out of the fixed length data for the PSM
2 (step S57).
While discussion has been given for the case where the
data is received from the network, opposite operation will be
performed even for the case of transmission of data to the
network, namely, the fixed length data including header is
written in the PSM 2 by the superior software. After reading
out and connecting the fixed length data by each network
interface, the data is transmitted to the network.
On the other hand, various kinds of constructions of
connection between each network interface and the PSM 2 in Fig.
1 are considered. In one example of this, each network
interface 1-1 to 1-3 and the PSM 2 are connected to the same
bus B so that writing and reading of data in and out the PSM
2 is controlled by CPU 10 as superior unit. In another example,
as shown in Fig.ll, CPU 10 and PSM 2 are connected to a bus
B1 which is different from a bus B2, to which each network
interface 1-1 to 1-3 and the PSM 2 are connected, and known
dual port memory is used. In either construction, CPU 10
performs predetermined operation according to the content of
the superior software of Fig. 1. In this case, to the buffer
interface 3 in Fig. 1. buses B, B1 and B2 illustrated in Figs.
6 and 7 are included.
In case of the construction shown in Fig. 6, writing of
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the fixed length data is performed with designating an address
ADDR and data DATA from each network interface 1-1 to 1-3 from
the PSM 2, and reading of the fixed length data is performed
with designating an address ADDR and data DATA from CPU 10 to
the PSM 2, as shown in Fig. 8. It should be noted that, in this
case, access arbitration is performed for the PSM 2 by a not
shown memory controller.
On the other hand, in case of the construction shown in
Fig. 7, as shown in Fig. 9, data writing requests (Req) are
transmitted respectively from each network interface 1-1 to
1-3 to the PSM 2. Then, the network interface receiving a
response (Ack) performs writing of the fixed length data. At
this time, the address ADDR and data DATA are designated from
each network interfaces 1-1 to 1-3 to the PSM 2 . Upon completion
of writing, the network interface notifies completion of
writing to CPU 10 as the superior unit by interruption using
a not shown signal line, CPU 10 performs reading of the fixed
length data designating the address ADDR and data DATA for the
PSM 2.
In case of Figs. 6 to 9, for all cases, the PSM 2 for
storing reception data is provided commonly to respective
network interfaces. However, it is also possible to provide
memories corresponding to respective network interfaces in
one-to-one basis. By providing the memory in common for
respective interfaces in the foregoing embodiment,
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construction of the overall system can be made compact to be
beneficial for reduction of cost and size of casing.
Here, the network interfaces 1-1 to 1-3 set forth above
are known network interfaces, such as Ethernet, PPP, ATM and
so forth. However, the shown system is applicable even for
other cases . Namely, the shown system is applicable even for
systems, in which a plurality of other general purpose I/0
devices, such as DART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-
Transceiver ) , PIO ( Programmed Input/output ) , printer port and
so forth, are present. Furthermore, upon establishing
connection with equipments handling digital data, such as a
digital camera and so forth, it is clear to widely apply the
shown system.
Furthermore, in the shown system may handle the network
interface which can be standardized toward the future or the
network interface of unique in each equipment maker. Namely,
data output from the network interface is handled dividingly
in a form of fixed length data to simplify handling of data.
For example, as shown in Fig. 10, a plurality of
communication processing systems are provided. The plurality
of communication processing systems are mutually connected by
"Next" network interface 1-4. In this case, the network
interface 1-4 may be newly developed one . Then, if the network
interface 1-4 has a construction for exchanging received data
in a form of fixed length data set forth above, data can be
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exchanged between a plurality of communication processing
systems in a form of fixed length data. In this case, since
CPUs l0a and lOb and the PSMs 2a and 2b are provided in the
systems 100 and 200, respectively, distributed process can be
performed for data reception. Therefore, process load may not
be concentrated to one of CPUs. By making reference to the
"next" field of the header included in the fixed length data,
original data can be restored as set forth above.
On the other hand, when data reception is performed with
connecting a large number of network interfaces to one bus,
substantial load can be applied to CPU, and also a large number
of slots for inserting the network interface boards becomes
necessary to make the system casing for storing the shown system
large to result in higher cost. In contrast to this, with the
construction, in which small number of network interfaces ( four
as shown, for example) are connected to one bus, the system
casing can be satisfactorily compact and cost can be low. By
making the at least one of network interfaces as common
interface, as the network interface 1-4 set forth above, the
shown system may be further added as required and mutually
connecting these systems is established, both of compactness
and superior extension ability of the system can be achieved.
Therefore, the shown system is considered as particularly
optima for SOHO (Small office Home Office).
On the other hand, all of network interfaces 1-la to 1-3a,
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1-lb to 1-3b respectively connected to the communication
processing systems 100 and 200 are interfaces for different
kinds of networks, data can be easily exchanged between
different networks by exchanging fixed length data between the
systems 100 and 200 via the network interface 1-4 . Furthermore,
it is clear to establish the communication processing system
network by connecting further large number of communication
processing systems with each other.
As set forth above, upon incorporating a plurality of
mutually different network interfaces in one communication
processing apparatus, hardware of different functions and
software corresponding thereto become necessary. Thus,
complexity of the overall system tends to be increased. In
contrast to this, by the shown system, the hardware and software
which have been separately designed per network interface in
the past, can be simplified by unifying to the fixed length
buffer interface via the memory.
As set forth above, the present invention does not require
to provide hardware having different functions and software
corresponding to such hardware, and thus complexity of the
overall system will never be increased by dividing the data
received from mutually different kinds of networks, transmits
to the superior unit with adding identification information
identifying the network through which data is received, and
performs the process in the superior unit depending upon the
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content of the identification information.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and
described with respect to exemplary embodiment thereof, it
should be understood by those skilled in the art that the
foregoing and various other changes, omission and additions
may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the
present invention should not be understood as limited to the
specific embodiment set out above but to include all possible
embodiments which can be embodied within a scope encompassed
and equivalent thereof with respect to the feature set out in
the appended claims.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and
described with respect to exemplary embodiment thereof, it
should be understood by those skilled in the art that the
foregoing and various other changes, omission and additions
may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the
present invention should not be understood as limited to the
specific embodiment set out above but to include all possible
embodiments which can be embodied within a scope encompassed
and equivalent thereof with respect to the feature set out in
the appended claims.
