Use of a single central transmit and receive mechanism for automatic topology determination of multiple networks
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in a multiple-network system, said multiple-network system containing a plurality of networks, said plurality of networks containing a plurality of ID-transmitting devices, each ID-transmitting device of said plurality of ID-transmitting devices periodically broadcasting identification signals, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of communication lines connecting said apparatus to said plurality of networks, said plurality of communication lines including a first set of communication lines and a second set of communication lines;
a medium access controller including a transmit unit and a receive unit;
said transmit unit being coupled to said first set of communication lines, said transmit unit sequentially broadcasting concentrator identification signals over each communication line of said first set of communication lines, said transmit unit broadcasting a concentrator identification signal over each communication line of said first set of communication lines at least once during a predetermined transmit interval;
said receive unit being coupled to said second set of communication lines, said receive unit sequentially monitoring each communication line of said second set of communication lines for a predetermined monitoring period, said receive unit storing data indicative of the ID-transmitting devices of said plurality of ID-transmitting devices that broadcast the identification signals detected on each given communication line of said second set of communication lines during said predetermine monitoring period for said given communication line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A concentrator having a single medium access controller for monitoring a plurality of communication lines is provided. Each of the communication lines corresponds to a network and carries identification signals periodically transmitted by devices on the corresponding network. The medium access controller includes a transmit unit and a receive unit. The transmit unit sequentially broadcasts concentrator identification signals over each of the communication lines. The transmit unit sequences through the communication lines at a rate to insure that a concentrator identification signal is sent over each communication line during a predetermined transmit interval. The receive unit sequentially monitors the signals on each of the communication lines. The receive unit monitors the signals on any given communication line for a predetermined monitoring period before sequencing to the next communication line. The duration of the monitoring period for a given communication line is at least as long as the longest identification signal transmit interval for any device on the communication line. Consequently, the receive unit will detect an identification signal from all of the active devices on a given communication line during the monitoring period for the communication line. The receive unit stores an indication of the identification signals it detects and the ports on which they were detected. This stored information may be used by a network management station to generate a map showing how the concentrator is connected to other devices.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in a multiple-network system, said multiple-network system containing a plurality of networks, said plurality of networks containing a plurality of ID-transmitting devices, each ID-transmitting device of said plurality of ID-transmitting devices periodically broadcasting identification signals, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of communication lines connecting said apparatus to said plurality of networks, said plurality of communication lines including a first set of communication lines and a second set of communication lines; a medium access controller including a transmit unit and a receive unit; said transmit unit being coupled to said first set of communication lines, said transmit unit sequentially broadcasting concentrator identification signals over each communication line of said first set of communication lines, said transmit unit broadcasting a concentrator identification signal over each communication line of said first set of communication lines at least once during a predetermined transmit interval; said receive unit being coupled to said second set of communication lines, said receive unit sequentially monitoring each communication line of said second set of communication lines for a predetermined monitoring period, said receive unit storing data indicative of the ID-transmitting devices of said plurality of ID-transmitting devices that broadcast the identification signals detected on each given communication line of said second set of communication lines during said predetermine monitoring period for said given communication line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for monitoring a plurality of identification signals received at a concentrator in a multiple-network system, the concentrator having a plurality of communication lines, each communication line of the plurality of communication lines corresponding to a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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sequentially broadcasting concentrator identification signals over each communication line of a first selected set of communication lines, said first selected set of communication lines being a first subset of said plurality of communication lines, said concentrator identification signals identifying the concentrator, wherein a concentrator identification signal is broadcast at least once over each communication line of said first selected set of communication lines during a predetermined transmit interval; sequentially monitoring each communication line of a second selected set of communication lines for a monitoring period, said second selected set of communication lines being a second subset of said plurality of communication lines; and storing data indicative of the identification signals detected on each given communication line of said second set of communication lines during said monitoring period for said given communication line.
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12. A concentrator for use in a multiple-network system, comprising:
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a plurality of communication lines, said plurality of communication lines including a plurality of receive lines and a plurality of transmit lines; a plurality of clusters, each cluster of said plurality of clusters being connected to a receive line of said plurality of receive lines and a transmit line of said plurality of transmit lines; a transmit unit; a first set of lines, said first set of lines connecting the transmit unit to said plurality of communication lines through a first plurality of switches, each line of said first set of lines connecting the transmit unit to a corresponding communication line of said plurality of communication lines through a corresponding switch of said first plurality of switches, wherein said transmit unit closes one switch and opens all other switches of said first plurality of switches while transmitting a concentrator identification signal; a receive unit; and a second set of lines, said second set of lines connecting the transmit unit to said plurality of communication lines through second plurality of switches, each line of said second set of lines connecting the receive unit to a corresponding communication line of said plurality of communication lines through a corresponding switch of said second plurality of switches, wherein said receive unit closes one switch and opens all other switches of said second plurality of switches when performing a monitoring operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification