Packet exchange data transmission system

• US 4,638,477 A
• Filed: 12/26/1984
• Issued: 01/20/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okada, Jun, Kunimasa, Koichi, Nakase, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US06/686,593
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 370/60, 370/94, 370/89, 340/825.5
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems

Abstract

At least two packet exchangers are interconnected through an external transmission line to transmit a data packet. Each packet exchanger comprises a main controller for processing the data packet sent from a packet terminal, in a data link level and a packet level, and a connecting unit for sending the data packet sent from the main controller to the external transmission line and sending the data packet sent from the external transmission line to the main controller.

Claims

1. A packet exchange data transmission system having at least two packet exchangers, each of said packet exchangers having a packet terminal and an external transmission line connected thereto, sending a data packet supplied from said packet terminal to said external transmission line through an internal transmission line, supplying the data packet sent from said external transmission line to said packet terminal through said internal transmission line and being connected to another packet exchanger through said external transmission line, said packet exchangers each comprising:

first means for checking a validity of the data packet sent from said packet terminal and sending the data packet to said internal transmission path, and reading in the data packet on said internal transmission line, checking a validity of the data packet and sending the data packet to said packet terminal, and

second means including a memory for storing the data packet on said internal transmission line into said memory, reading out the data packet from said memory and sending the data packet to said external transmission line, and storing the data packet transmitted from said external transmission line in said memory, reading the data packet from said memory and sending the data packet to said internal transmission line,

wherein said internal transmission line is a token ring constructed to send a transmission right token to each of said first and second means for acquiring a transmission right, said first means sends the data packet sent from said packet terminal to said token ring, receiving the data packet from said token ring and sending the data packet to said packet terminal, and said second means stores the data packet of said token ring into said memory, reads out the data packet from said memory and sends the data packet to said external transmission line, stores the data packet sent from said external transmission line into said memory, reads out the data packet from said memory and sends the data packet to said token ring.

2. A packet exchange data transmission system according to claim 1 wherein said first means converts the data packet sent from said packet terminal to be compatible to the interface of said token ring and converts the data packet converted to be compatible to the interface of said token ring to a data packet of the same format as that sent from said packet terminal.