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:
Dec. 23, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 08, 1999
Andrew S. Foltan, Nashua, NH (US);
Raymond G. Bahr, Natick, MA (US);
Cisco Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus provide a data communication device that can process a number of streams of data according to a plurality of services. A host device such as a network access server which may include a router and a number of carrier cards hosts a number of modules. The host and modules are equipped with a messaging application programming interface (API). The API allows the host to discover what services are offered by the modules, and allows the host and modules to form an optimal interface configuration that most effectively handles data connections of different service types, such as voice, data, facsimile, video and so forth. In operation, each module is presented with a stream of data containing multiplexed calls. Each call contains data that is best operated on by one of the particular services. The messaging API allows the host to setup and control the module and sessions of the services offered by the modules depending upon the data types of the connections. Since the modules each offer a variety of services, a stream containing data one or more connections such as voice data, video data, modem data, facsimile data and so forth can be processed by a single module under control of the host.