Data transmission system and method for transmitting data having real-time and non-real-time characteristics
First Claim
1. A system for transmitting data between N linked stations, where N is greater than 2, one of which is designated a master station, within a cycle period defined as a period between successive transmissions of a header signal indicating a start of data transmission by the N linked stations, only one station having a right to transmit data at a given time, the data transmitted by each station including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required, and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required, each Mth station (1<
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=N) comprising;
transmission means for transmitting a header signal to another station when the station including the transmission means is designated a master station, and for transmitting ones of both the first and second data portions to another station,receiver means for receiving a header signal and first and second data portions transmitted from another station, andcontrol means, coupled to the transmission means and the receiver means, for assigning to the station including the control means the right to transmit data in a cycle period, wherein the cycle period is divided into 2N time slots, and wherein data is transmitted by the control means only in at least one of a first time slot constituting an Mth time slot, and a second time slot constituting an N+Mth time slot within the cycle period and for transmitting the first portion of the data separate from transmission of the second portion of the data, the first portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the first time slot and the second portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the second time slot, wherein the control means is able to transmit data only in the first and second time slots.
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Abstract
A system for transmitting data between a plurality of linked stations within a cycle period defined by successive transmissions of a header signal indicating the start of a data transmission, only one station having a right to transmit data at a given time, the data including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required, and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required. Each station includes a transmission circuit for transmitting the header signal and the data to another station, a receiver circuit for receiving the header signal and the data from another station, and a control circuit for assigning the right to transmit data serially to each station in a prescribed order two times within each cycle period and for transmitting the first portion of the data separately from the second portion of the data. The first portion of the data is transmitted the first time that the right to transmit data is assigned to the station.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for transmitting data between N linked stations, where N is greater than 2, one of which is designated a master station, within a cycle period defined as a period between successive transmissions of a header signal indicating a start of data transmission by the N linked stations, only one station having a right to transmit data at a given time, the data transmitted by each station including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required, and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required, each Mth station (1<
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=N) comprising;transmission means for transmitting a header signal to another station when the station including the transmission means is designated a master station, and for transmitting ones of both the first and second data portions to another station, receiver means for receiving a header signal and first and second data portions transmitted from another station, and control means, coupled to the transmission means and the receiver means, for assigning to the station including the control means the right to transmit data in a cycle period, wherein the cycle period is divided into 2N time slots, and wherein data is transmitted by the control means only in at least one of a first time slot constituting an Mth time slot, and a second time slot constituting an N+Mth time slot within the cycle period and for transmitting the first portion of the data separate from transmission of the second portion of the data, the first portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the first time slot and the second portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the second time slot, wherein the control means is able to transmit data only in the first and second time slots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of transmitting data, including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required, between a plurality of N linked stations, where N is greater than 2, the data being transmitted from one station to at least one other station within a cycle period defined as a period between successive transmissions of a header signal indicating a start of transmission, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning a right to transmit data by circulating the data transmission right among the N linked stations in a prescribed order; dividing the cycle period into 2N time slots, such that each of the N linked stations is assigned a data transmission right during first and second time slots during each cycle period; transmitting a header signal from a predetermined one of the N linked stations to others of the N linked stations, transmitting the first portion of the data from the predetermined one N linked station to each of the other N linked stations during the assigned first time slot of each cycle period, transmitting the second portion of the data from the predetermined one N linked station to each of the other N linked stations during the assigned second time slot of each cycle period and before an end of a prescribed time period after transmission of the first portion of the data and the header signal, and inhibiting by the predetermined one N linked station, after the end of the prescribed time period, further transmission of the second portion of the data to any other N linked station until completion of a current cycle period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A station in a system for transmitting data between N linked stations, where N is greater than 2, one of which is a master station, within a cycle period defined by successive transmissions of a header signal indicating a start of a data transmission by the N linked stations, only one station having a right to transmit data at a given time, the data transmitted by the station including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required, and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required, the station comprising:
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transmission means for transmitting a header signal to another station when the station including the transmission means is designated a master station, and for transmitting ones of both the first and second data portions to another station, receiver means for receiving a header signal and first and second data portions transmitted from another station, and control means, coupled to the transmission means and the receiver means, for assigning to the station the right to transmit data in the cycle period, wherein the cycle period is divided into 2N time slots such that each of the N linked stations is assigned a data transmission right during first and second time slots during each cycle period, the first portion of data being transmitted only in the first time slot and the second portion being transmitted by the transmission means only in the second time slot, wherein the control means is able to transmit data only in the assigned first and second time slots.
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19. A system for transmitting data between N linked stations, where N is greater than 2, one of which is designated a master station, within a cycle period defined as a period between successive transmissions of a header signal indicating a start of data transmission by the N linked stations, only one station having a right to transmit data at a given time, the data transmitted by each station including a first portion for which real-time characteristics are required, and a second portion for which real-time characteristics are not required, each Mth station (1<
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=N) comprising;transmission means for transmitting a header signal to another station when the station including the transmission means is designated a master station, and for transmitting ones of both the first and second data portions to another station, receiver means for receiving a header signal and first and second data portions transmitted from another station, and control means, coupled to the transmission means and the receiver means, for assigning to the station including the control means the right to transmit data in a cycle period, wherein the cycle period is divided into 2N time slots, and wherein data is transmitted by the control means only in a first time slot constituting an Mth time slot, and a second time slot constituting an N+Mth time slot within the cycle period and for transmitting the first portion of the data separate from transmission of the second portion of the data, the first portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the first time slot and the second portion being transmitted by the transmission means in the second time slot, wherein the control means is able to transmit data only in the first and second time slots.
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Specification