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Ethernet extender

  • US 5,436,902 A
  • Filed: 04/05/1994
  • Issued: 07/25/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for interfacing between an Ethernet local area network and a metropolitan area data communication network comprising:

  • a circuit means forming a local area network node for connecting to an Ethernet local area network via an Ethernet medium;

    a bridge subsystem coupled to said connection means which is operative to accept Ethernet packets and to control access to the metropolitan area data communication network, said bridge subsystem including;

    a modem subsystem coupled to a wide area network medium of the metropolitan area data communication network for communicating Ethernet-type packets over a frequency channel of the metropolitan area data communication network, said frequency channel employing timed frames during which each one of said Ethernet-type packets is conveyed, link control means for allocating time in each one of said time frames into at least a first (reservation) segment and a second (payload) segment, said second segment being of sufficient capacity to contain an unmodified one of said Ethernet-type packets, and said first segment being for arbitrating among bridge subsystems requesting access to said frequency channel;

    means for buffering said Ethernet-type packets; and

    control means for arbitrating access to said wide area network medium, wherein said control means is operative to subdivide said first segment into a plurality of subsegments, each said subsegment being employed to arbitrate for access to the second segment of a future timed frame.

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