Method and apparatus for providing a 3-way connection between a mobile computing device, a stationary computing device and a computer network

摘要

A method and apparatus for providing a three-way connection between a mobile computing device, a stationary computing device and a computer network. When there is an established connection between a mobile computing device (e.g. a notebook computer) and the stationary computing device (e.g. desktop PC) over the wireless communication channel (e.g. infrared link), the system operates in BRIDGE mode. In BRIDGE mode the system redirects information packets in the OSI layer 2 (data link layer). When a notebook computer is not attached, the system operates in PASSTHROUGH mode and all non-broadcast message traffic from the Ethernet LAN is filtered by the Ethernet adapter based on the network address or group address of the desktop PC.