Patent ID: 7916736
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network bridge, comprising: a local network interface configured to transmit and receive local signals in a local network according to a local network protocol; a bridging network interface configured to transmit and receive bridging signals in a bridging network according to a bridging network protocol; a control circuit connected between the local network interface and the bridging network interface, configured to pass outgoing local data packets from the local network as outgoing bridging payloads in outgoing bridging data packets to the bridging network and to pass incoming bridging payloads from incoming bridging data packets from the bridging network as incoming local packets to the local network; and an address translation circuit configured to provide the control circuit with address translation data identifying a correspondence between local network addresses in the local network and global network addresses, wherein the control circuit translates outgoing local addresses of the outgoing local data packets to outgoing global addresses based on the address translation data, wherein the control circuit translates incoming global addresses of the incoming local data packets to incoming local addresses based on the address translation data, wherein the network bridge functions as one of a plurality of network elements in the local network, and has a unique local network address, wherein the local network addresses are ad hoc addresses, and wherein the local network protocol is configured to periodically change an assignment of the local network addresses to the plurality of local network elements in the local network.