Patent ID: 7251703

Claim:
A method of bridging devices from a first data bus type over a second data bus type using a bridge device comprising a portal connected to the first data bus type and a portal connected to the second data bus type the bridging method comprising the steps of: assigning local addresses to devices connected to the first data bus type; assigning unique global addresses recognized by the second data bus type to devices connected to the first data bus type; mapping between the local addresses and the global addresses to form a map table; translating between global addresses and local address using the map table when bridging communication from devices connected to the first data bus type over the second data bus type; in a transmitting bridge device, removing a time stamp associated with the first data bus type and adding a time stamp associated with the second data bus type to a message transmitted; and in a receiving bridge device, removing the time stamp associated with the second data bus type from the message transmitted and adding a time stamp associated with the first data bus type.