AFTER TRANSMISSION RETURN SIGNAL

• US 20090109971A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sigma Designs Israel S.D.I Ltd. (Uphill Investment Co.)
• Original Assignee: Sigma Designs Israel S.D.I Ltd. (Uphill Investment Co.)
• Inventors: Franco, Reuven, ROZEN, Ilan, Lurie, Aharona, Kern, Ran
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control

Abstract

A method includes transmitting a next transmission after an inter-frame period after a previous transmission, wherein the inter-frame period is long enough to allow a return signal responding to the previous transmission. A network device includes a receiver to receive a transmission from a source device and a transmitter at least to transmit a return signal to the source device indicating successful receipt or lack thereof of the transmission during a return period forming part of an inter-frame period after the transmission.

Claims

1. A network device comprising:

a receiver to receive a transmission from a source device; and

a transmitter at least to transmit a return signal to said source device indicating successful receipt or lack thereof of said transmission during a return period forming part of an inter-frame period after said transmission.

2. The network device according to claim 1 and wherein said transmitter also comprises a transmission buffer to store packets to be transmitted to other devices and wherein said receiver also comprises a return signal unit to indicate to said transmission buffer to flush a current packet if a received return signal indicates receipt and to retransmit said current packet if said received return signal indicates lack of receipt.

3. The network device according to claim 1 and wherein said return period is one of the following types of periods:

a receipt period and a no-receipt period.

4. The network device according to claim 1 and wherein said return period is two periods, one for receipt and one for no-receipt.

5. The network device according to claim 2 and wherein said receiver comprises a decoder to decode a receipt signal indication within a header of each said packet, said receipt signal indication indicating at least whether or not a receipt indication is requested, said decoder indicating to said transmitter to transmit, or not, said receipt indication.

6. The network device according to claim 5 and wherein said receipt signal indication also includes an indication of the type of receipt indication.

7. The network device according to claim 1 and wherein said return signal comprises a byte of data.

8. The network device according to claim 1 and wherein said network device is a synchronous device.

9. The network device according to claim 1 and operative in the presence of asynchronous devices for which the length of an inter-frame gap is defined as the length of an inter-frame gap plus the length of said return period.

10. The network device according to claim 2 and wherein said transmission buffer stores frames for broadcast transmission and said return signal unit comprises means to flush said current packet if there are no received return signals from devices receiving said broadcast transmission indicating lack of receipt.

11. The network device according to claim 10 wherein said frame is a multiple packet frame and wherein said return signals indicate lack of receipt if any packets within said multiple packet frame are not correctly received.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a transmission from a source device; and

transmitting a return signal to said source device indicating successful receipt or lack thereof of said transmission during a return period forming part of an inter-frame period after said transmission.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said transmitting also comprises storing packets to be transmitted to other devices in a transmission buffer and wherein said receiving also comprises indicating to said transmission buffer to flush a current packet if a received return signal is positive and retransmitting said current packet if said return signal is negative.

14. The method according to claim 12 and wherein said return period is one of the following types of periods:

a receipt period and a no-receipt period.

15. The method according to claim 12 and wherein said return period is two periods, one for receipt and one for no-receipt.

16. The method according to claim 13 and wherein said transmitting comprises decoding a receipt signal indication within a header of each said packet, said receipt signal indication indicating at least whether or not a receipt indication is requested, and indicating whether or not to transmit said receipt indication.

17. The method according to claim 16 and wherein said receipt signal indication also includes an indication of the type of receipt indication.

18. The method according to claim 12 and wherein said return signal comprises a byte of data.

19. The method according to claim 13 and wherein said transmission buffer stores frames for broadcast transmission and also comprising flushing said current packet if there are no received return signals from devices receiving said broadcast transmission indicating lack of receipt.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein said frame is a multiple packet frame and wherein said return signals indicate lack of receipt if any packets within said multiple packet frame are not correctly received.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting a next transmission after an inter-frame period after a previous transmission, wherein said inter-frame period is long enough to allow a return signal responding to said previous transmission.

22. The method according to claim 21 and wherein said inter-frame period comprises an inter-frame gap and a return period.

23. The method according to claim 22 and wherein said return period is one of the following types of periods:

a receipt period and a no-receipt period.

24. The method according to claim 21 and wherein said return period is two periods, one for receipt and one for no-receipt.