Communication network polling technique
First Claim
1. A method for polling stations on a communications network comprising the steps of:
- sequentially polling each station in a first group of active stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station;
periodically interrupting the polling of the first group of active stations to poll at least one station in a second group of stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station, whereby the stations in one group are polled more frequently than the stations in the other group; and
resuming the sequential polling of the first group of stations upon the completion of polling of at least one station in the second group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a communication network wherein a master station periodically polls a number of remote stations to determine whether or not each remote station has data to transmit to the master, each of the remote stations is assigned to one two groups. One of the groups is designated as priority stations which commonly have very urgent data for the master station. The group of non-priority stations is sequentially polled for messages to be sent to the master station. The polling of the group of non-priority stations is periodically interrupted so that the master station may poll each of the stations in the priority group to determine if they have messages to send. Upon the completion of the polling of the priority stations, the polling of the non-priority stations is resumed. Periodically a time period occurs for inactive stations to join one of the two groups of stations on the network. This method permits stations that typically have high priority data, to transmit that information more frequently than would be possible if only one polling group of stations existed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for polling stations on a communications network comprising the steps of:
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sequentially polling each station in a first group of active stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station; periodically interrupting the polling of the first group of active stations to poll at least one station in a second group of stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station, whereby the stations in one group are polled more frequently than the stations in the other group; and resuming the sequential polling of the first group of stations upon the completion of polling of at least one station in the second group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In a communication network having a master station capable of accessing X number of station addresses, a method of polling stations on the network comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining a subset of Y station addresses such that Y is less than X; (b) assigning each station on the network a unique address selected from the subset of Y station addresses; (c) sequentially polling a first group of active station addresses within the subset for messages to be sent on the network; (d) interrupting the polling of the first group of station addresses to poll at least one station address in a second group of active station addresses within the subset for messages to be sent on the network, said interrupting occurring at a given interval from when the second group of station addresses was last polled; and (e) then continuing the sequential polling of the first group of station addresses. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for polling stations on a communication network comprising the steps of:
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sequentially polling each station in a first group of active stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station; occasionally interrupting the polling of the first group of stations to poll at least one station in a second group of active stations for messages to be sent on the network by sending a command to each such station;
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andresuming the sequential polling of the first group of stations upon the completion of polling of at least one station in the second group, whereby the stations in one group are polled more frequently than the stations in the other group. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification