Dynamically configurable communications network
First Claim
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1. A dynamically configurable communications network comprising:
- (a) a plurality of nodes;
(b) a peripheral coprocessor means at each of said nodes, said peripheral coprocessor means including;
(i) central processing means;
(ii) input/output controlling means for controlling input and output of data, setting up a subnetwork of at least three nodes connected in a serial fashion and enabling communication among nodes of said subnetwork;
(iii) memory means for control and storage of data; and
(iv) port circuitry coupled to said input/output controlling means for connecting said peripheral coprocessor to a data processing device;
(c) means for interconnecting said nodes via a switched network; and
(d) data mode means for enabling data transmission among the nodes of said subnetwork, said data transmission occurring in a serial fashion from one node to another,wherein communication among nodes of said subnetwork of nodes takes place by a first node of said subnetwork establishing a data path via existing communication lines of the switched network between said first node and a second node of said subnetwork, and said second node establishing a data path via existing communication lines of the switched network between said second node and a third node of said subnetwork and wherein data is selectively provided to said nodes according to destination information contained within a header portion of a data string.
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Abstract
A dynamically configurable array of communication nodes capable of wide area networking utilizing existing communications lines is provided wherein any node possessing a transmitted data string comprising a message and identification information also possesses control of the network and generally is provided with a plurality of data paths to choose from. A setup mode initially sets up a data path among a network of nodes while a data mode subsequently permits data communication among the subnetwork of nodes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dynamically configurable communications network comprising:
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(a) a plurality of nodes; (b) a peripheral coprocessor means at each of said nodes, said peripheral coprocessor means including; (i) central processing means; (ii) input/output controlling means for controlling input and output of data, setting up a subnetwork of at least three nodes connected in a serial fashion and enabling communication among nodes of said subnetwork; (iii) memory means for control and storage of data; and (iv) port circuitry coupled to said input/output controlling means for connecting said peripheral coprocessor to a data processing device; (c) means for interconnecting said nodes via a switched network; and (d) data mode means for enabling data transmission among the nodes of said subnetwork, said data transmission occurring in a serial fashion from one node to another, wherein communication among nodes of said subnetwork of nodes takes place by a first node of said subnetwork establishing a data path via existing communication lines of the switched network between said first node and a second node of said subnetwork, and said second node establishing a data path via existing communication lines of the switched network between said second node and a third node of said subnetwork and wherein data is selectively provided to said nodes according to destination information contained within a header portion of a data string. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A peripheral coprocessor means for use in a configurable communication network and capable of wide area networking utilizing existing communication lines comprising:
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a central processing means; an input/output controlling means for controlling input and output of data, setting up a subnetwork of at least three nodes and enabling communication among nodes of said subnetwork; a memory means for control and storage of data; and port circuitry coupled to said input/output controlling means for connecting said peripheral coprocessor to a data processing device, wherein communication among said subnetwork of nodes takes place by a first node of said subnetwork establishing a data path via the existing communication lines between said first node and a second node of said subnetwork, and said second node establishing a data path via the existing communication lines between said second node and a third node of said subnetwork and wherein data is selectively provided to said nodes according to destination information contained within a header portion of a data string. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for dynamically configuring a communications network using switched communications lines comprising the steps of:
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setting up a subnetwork of at least three nodes within an array of nodes in a specific order to establish a desired configuration, said subnetwork of nodes being connected together by at least one data path formed from said communications lines, said step of setting up including the step of passing a list from a first node to a second node, said list identifying nodes to comprise said configuration; accessing a first node of said subnetwork by transmission of a data string from a second node to said first node over said data path; selectively processing said data string at said first node according to a destination address of said data string to determine if said data string has reached the node specified by said destination address; and passing said data string to the next node of said subnetwork if said data string has not yet reached the node specified by said destination address. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A dynamically configurable communications network comprising:
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a plurality of nodes; a peripheral coprocessor at each of said nodes; input/output means at each node for connecting said coprocessor and a data processing device associated with said node; means for interconnecting said nodes via a switched network; setup mode means for automatically establishing a subnetwork of at least three of said nodes using said interconnecting means, said subnetwork being set up so that the nodes are connected in a serial fashion; and data mode means for enabling data transmission among the nodes of said network, said data transmission occurring in a serial fashion from one node to another, said data mode means causing a data string having information indicative of a mode of operation to be transmitted from a first node to a second node; wherein said mode of operation is one of a group of at least three modes comprising a setup mode, a data mode and a terminate mode. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification