Application concentrator: Application-level gateway for enabling interconnection of multiple closed networks

In this paper, we propose a framework called application concentrator, which enables interconnection of multiple closed networks at an application level. Because of rapid development and deployment of advanced networking technologies, various social activities have been shifting onto a network, thus necessitating a technology for providing closed networks for real/virtual groups. In particular, interconnection of multiple closed networks is the key for realizing those social activities on a network. In this paper, we therefore propose an application-level gateway called application concentrator, which enables interconnection of multiple closed networks for various types of application protocols. In the application concentrator, interconnection of multiple closed networks is realized by multiplexing/demultiplexing the content of communications. For demonstrating effectiveness of the application concentrator, we design example implementations of the application concentrator for three typical applications such as Web, e-mail, and remote desktop.