The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 29, 1996
Atsuhiko Suzuki, Hiratsuka, JP;
Masanori Horiguchi, Hiratsuka, JP;
The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method is provided for managing virtual networks wherein switching hubs, each having ports to which nodes are respectively connected and having a bridging function, are interconnected via an ATM network, and predetermined ones of the ports of the switching hubs are grouped in order to construct virtual LANs. Data from a source node is transmitted to nodes belonging to the same group as the source node. A VLAN server, which stores MAC addresses of these nodes and VLAN identifiers in association with each other, is connected to the ATM network and collectively manages all nodes by means of the MAC addresses. The switching hub makes an inquiry for a VLAN identifier, and reconstructs or modifies the VLAN in accordance with a VLAN identifier responded from the VLAN server.