Ethernet Physical Layer Repeater
First Claim
1. A method performed by nodes in an Ethernet network, at least one node comprising a first slave processor accessing a medium via a first slave repeater, the first slave repeater comprising a plurality of ports including at least a first port and a second port connected to the medium and a third port connected to the first slave processor, the method comprising:
- transmitting first data by a master processor onto the medium;
receiving the transmitted first data at the first port of the first slave repeater;
forwarding the first data received at the first port of the first slave repeater to a first input of a receive multiplexer in the first slave repeater;
forwarding, by the receive multiplexer, the first data to the first slave processor connected to the third port of the first slave repeater;
concurrently with forwarding the first data to the first slave processor by the receive multiplexer, passing through the first data between the first port and the second port of the first slave repeater via at least one transmit multiplexer so that the first data continues to travel down the medium for receipt by other slave repeaters and slave processors; and
receiving by a destination slave processor the first data via the destination slave processor'"'"'s repeater, and acting on the first data by the destination slave processor,wherein the master processor coordinates communications by the slave processors, and wherein passing through the first data between the first port and the second port of the first slave repeater is performed without variable delays requiring buffering.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Ethernet repeater system has a plurality of identical repeaters which add substantially no delay. Each repeater has at least a first port and a second port connected to a medium, and a third port connected to a slave processor or a master processor. The master processor controls all communications on the medium. A receive multiplexer always applies data on the medium to the processor in the event the data is destined for the processor. A first transmit multiplexer has inputs connected to the second port and the processor, and an output connected to the first port. A second transmit multiplexer has inputs connected to the first port and the processor, and an output connected to the second port. The first and second transmit multiplexers act as a bridge between the first and second ports to pass through data without any variable latency since the data does not have to be buffered.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method performed by nodes in an Ethernet network, at least one node comprising a first slave processor accessing a medium via a first slave repeater, the first slave repeater comprising a plurality of ports including at least a first port and a second port connected to the medium and a third port connected to the first slave processor, the method comprising:
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transmitting first data by a master processor onto the medium; receiving the transmitted first data at the first port of the first slave repeater; forwarding the first data received at the first port of the first slave repeater to a first input of a receive multiplexer in the first slave repeater; forwarding, by the receive multiplexer, the first data to the first slave processor connected to the third port of the first slave repeater; concurrently with forwarding the first data to the first slave processor by the receive multiplexer, passing through the first data between the first port and the second port of the first slave repeater via at least one transmit multiplexer so that the first data continues to travel down the medium for receipt by other slave repeaters and slave processors; and receiving by a destination slave processor the first data via the destination slave processor'"'"'s repeater, and acting on the first data by the destination slave processor, wherein the master processor coordinates communications by the slave processors, and wherein passing through the first data between the first port and the second port of the first slave repeater is performed without variable delays requiring buffering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An Ethernet repeater system comprising:
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a first repeater having a plurality of ports comprising at least a first port and a second port connected to a medium and a third port connected to a first processor; the first repeater comprising; a receive multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the first port and having a second input connected to receive data from the second port, an output of the receive multiplexer being connected to the third port; a first transmit multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the second port and having a second input connected to receive data from the third port, an output of the first transmit multiplexer being connected to transmit data to the first port; and a second transmit multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the first port and having a second input connected to receive data from the third port, an output of the second transmit multiplexer being connected to transmit data to the second port, wherein the receive multiplexer, the first transmit multiplexer, and the second transmit multiplexer forward data applied to their respective first input terminal to their respective output terminal when it is detected that data is being received at their respective first input terminal, and forward data applied to their respective second input terminal to their respective output terminal when it is detected that data is being received at their respective second input terminal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An Ethernet repeater comprising:
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at least a first port and a second port for connection to a medium and a third port for connection to a processor; a receive multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the first port and having a second input connected to receive data from the second port, an output of the receive multiplexer being connected to the third port; a first transmit multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the second port and having a second input connected to receive data from the third port, an output of the first transmit multiplexer being connected to transmit data to the first port; and a second transmit multiplexer having a first input connected to receive data from the first port and having a second input connected to receive data from the third port, an output of the second transmit multiplexer being connected to transmit data to the second port, wherein the receive multiplexer, the first transmit multiplexer, and the second transmit multiplexer forward data applied to their respective first input terminal to their respective output terminal when it is detected that data is being received at their respective first input terminal, and forward data applied to their respective second input terminal to their respective output terminal when it is detected that data is being received at their respective second input terminal. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification