Patent ID: 6370592
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An input/output device for connection to peripheral equipment, the peripheral equipment having an application programming interface (API) module within which at least one datagram communication endpoint is generated, the input/output device comprising:a plurality of network transport modules, each network transport module implementing a different network protocol; a communication mechanism for communication with the peripheral equipment; and, a gateway module, coupled to each of the network transport modules and to the communication mechanism; wherein for each datagram communication endpoint within the API module within the peripheral equipment, a corresponding datagram communication endpoint is implemented within the gateway module, wherein a control channel between the gateway module and the API module is used to transport control messages between the gateway module and the API module, and wherein for a network transport module which requires data stream communication, control messages are exchanged over the control channel and data stream communication is established via a separate communication channel between the gateway module and the API module.