Active star-configured local area network
First Claim
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1. A data transmission network comprising:
- a first node including means for sending a first node packet of data to a first destination;
a second node including means for sending a second node packet of data to a second destination; and
controller means, connected to said first node and said second node, for immediately relaying one of said first node packet and second node packet toward its respective destination when the other of said first node packet and said second node packet is not received substantially simultaneously, and for immediately relaying one of said first node packet and said second node packet and temporarily storing the other of said first node packet and said second node packet in said controller means when said first node packet and second node packet are received substantially simultaneously.
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Abstract
A data transmission network is disclosed which includes a plurality of nodes each adapted to send a packet of data. A controller, or hub, is connected to each of the plurality of nodes for immediately relaying a packet from one of the nodes to a desired destination when it is the only packet received by the controller means. However, when a plurality of packets are simultaneously received by the controller from plural nodes, the controller immediately relays a selected packet, and temporarily stores the other packets for subsequent transmission.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A data transmission network comprising:
- a first node including means for sending a first node packet of data to a first destination;
a second node including means for sending a second node packet of data to a second destination; and controller means, connected to said first node and said second node, for immediately relaying one of said first node packet and second node packet toward its respective destination when the other of said first node packet and said second node packet is not received substantially simultaneously, and for immediately relaying one of said first node packet and said second node packet and temporarily storing the other of said first node packet and said second node packet in said controller means when said first node packet and second node packet are received substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a first node including means for sending a first node packet of data to a first destination;
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10. A data transmission network comprising:
- a plurality of nodes each including means for sending a packet of data to a destination; and
controller means, connected to each of said plurality of nodes, for immediately relaying a packet from one of said plurality of nodes toward its respective destination in the absence of a packet being present at substantially the same time from any other node of said plurality of nodes, and for immediately relaying one packet and temporarily storing in said controller means all other packets if packets from more than one of said plurality of nodes are present substantially simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a plurality of nodes each including means for sending a packet of data to a destination; and
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18. A method of regulating a data transmission network comprising a plurality of nodes adapted to exchange packets of data through paths including at least one controller, comprising the steps to be performed by said controller of:
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(a) if only one packet arrives at a given time, immediately relaying said one packet towards a destination; and (b) if at least two packets arrive substantially simultaneously, immediately relaying one packet of said at least two packets towards its destination and temporarily storing each other packet. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of regulating a data transmission network comprising a plurality of controllers, each connected to a plurality of nodes adapted to exchange packets of data through paths including at least one of said plurality of controllers, comprising the step to be performed by said at least one controller of selectively routing said data packets, from a respective originating node associated with a first of said plurality of controllers to at least one destination node associated with a second of said plurality of controllers such that less than all of said plurality of nodes receive said packet.
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22. A method of regulating a data transmission network comprising a plurality of nodes adapted to exchange packets of data through paths including at least one controller having a buffer, comprising the steps to be performed by the at least one controller of:
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(a) if only one packet arrives at a given time and said buffer does not contain any previously-stored packets, immediately relaying said one packet towards a destination; (b) if at least two packets arrive substantially simultaneously and said buffer does not contain any previously-stored packets, immediately relaying one packet of said at least two packets toward a destination and temporarily storing the other packet in said buffer; and (c) if at least two packets arrive substantially simultaneously and said buffer does contain at least one previously-stored packet, temporarily storing at least one of said at least two packets to be retrieved along with said at least one previously-stored packet and relaying said packets stored in said buffer in a predetermined order after said at least one controller has determined the order in which all packets in the buffer are to be retrieved from said buffer for relay to respective destinations.
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Specification