Patent ID: 6065049
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices connected a first network with a downstream connection of a first connection type and connected to a second network with an upstream connection of a second connection type, wherein the first and second networks are connected to a third network with a third connection type, a method of addressing network host interfaces, the method comprising the following steps:receiving on a first network device on the downstream connection from the first network, a plurality of first messages, wherein the plurality of first messages include offers from a plurality of network host interfaces available on the first network to connect the first network device to the third network;selecting on the first network device a network interface host available on the first network using the plurality of first messages;creating on the first network device a second message with a second message type, the second message including a first connection address in a first message field for communicating with the first network and a network host interface identifier in a second message field for the selected network host interface;sending the second message from the first network device on the upstream connection to the second network;routing the second message from the second network to a plurality of network host interfaces available on the first network using the first connection address from the first field in the first message;recognizing from the selected network host interface available on the first network a network host identifier in the second message field in the second message for the selected network host interface;sending a third message with a third message type from the selected network host interface to the first network, wherein the third message acknowledges the second message sent by the first network device and includes a second connection address to the third network for the selected network host interface;storing the second network connection address from the third message in one or more routing tables in the first network; andforwarding the third message from the first network over the downstream connection to the first network device;receiving the third message on the first network device, thereby establishing a virtual connection from the third network to the first network device,wherein the first network and the first network device have a network connection address for the selected network host interface that allows data to be sent over the virtual connection from the third network to the network host interface on the first network, and from the first network to the first network device over the downstream connection.