High speed data transfer over twisted pair cabling

• US 5,550,836 A
• Filed: 11/06/1992
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Goody, Steven H., Dove, Daniel J., Curcio, Joseph A. Jr., Albrecht, Alan, Spratt, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US07/972,694
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 370/94.3, 370/56, 370/61, 370/75, 370/85.2, 370/85.3, 370/84, 370/95.3, 370/124, 370/85.1, 370/76, 370/57, 370/18, 370/85.9, 370/85.11, 370/69.1, 370/121, 370/123 , 370/110.1, 370/110.4, 370/111, 375/260, 375/257, 375/264, 375/287, 375/317, 375/217, 375/286, 455/33.1, 455/33.3, 455/33.2, 455/33.4, 455/54.2, 455/35.1, 455/34.1, 455/218, 455/219, 455/220, 455/225, 455/222
• US Class Current: 370/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/14 Channel dividing arrangements , i.e. in which a single bit stream is divided between several baseband channels and reassembled at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4908 using mBnB codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/143 for modulated signals H04L5/1469 takes precedence

Abstract

A method provides for a first network node in a plurality of network nodes to transmit a data packet to a hub. The hub and the network nodes are interconnected within a local network system. Control signals are exchanged between the first network node and the hub. The exchange of control signals is done in a first signal frequency range. A data packet is sent from the first network node to the hub. The data packet is sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range. The first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range do not overlap.

Claims

1. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range; and

,

(b) after step (a) sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different and wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in times wherein

the first network node is connected to the hub using a plurality of twisted wire pairs.

in step (a) a first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the first network node to the hub and a second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the hub to the first network node, and

in step (b) all twisted wire pairs in the plurality of twisted wire pairs are used to send the data packet from the first network node to the hub.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs includes two twisted wire pairs and the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs includes two twisted wire pairs.

22. A method as is in claim 1 wherein

the first signal frequency range is lower than the second frequency range;

step (a) includes filtering by the hub of control signals received from the first network node using a first squelch level;

step (b) includes no squelch filtering by the hub of data signals received from the first network node;

the squelch level is changed from the first squelch level to no squelch filtering based on receipt of a particular control signal; and

,

the squelch level is changed from no squelch filtering to the first squelch level based on receipt of particular control information within the data signals.

23. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising the step of:

(c) checking by the hub, a destination address for the data packet sent in step (b), wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (c) overlap; and

,

(d) when the destination address is for a second network node in the plurality of network nodes, performing the following substep;

(d.1) sending the data packet from the hub to the second network node, the data packet being sent using data signals within the second signal frequency range, wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (d) overlap and wherein all twisted wire pairs in a second plurality of twisted wire pairs connected between the hub and the second network are used to send the data packet from the hub to the second network.

3. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range;

(b) after step (a), sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in time; and

,

(c) exchanging control signals between the hub and each of the plurality of network nodes excluding the first network node, the exchange of control signals being done in the first signal frequency range for the purpose of providing arbitration to determine which network node will transfer a next data package to the hub, wherein step (c) and step (b) are performed simultaneously, wherein

the first network node is connected to the hub using a plurality of twisted wire pairs.

in step (a) a first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the first network node to the hub and a second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the hub to the first network node, and

in step (b) all twisted wire pairs in the plurality of twisted wire pairs are used to send the data packet from the first network node to the hub.

4. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, wherein the first network node is connected to the hub using a plurality of twisted wire pairs, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range, wherein a first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the first network node to the hub and a second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the hub to the first network node;

(b) after step (a), sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different, wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in time, and wherein all twisted wire pairs in the plurality of twisted wire pairs are used to send data packet from the first network node to the hub;

(c) checking by the hub, a destination address for the data packet sent in step (b), wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (c) overlap; and

,

(d) when the destination address is for a second network node in the plurality of network nodes, performing the following substep;

(d.1) sending the data packet from the hub to the second network node, the data packet being sent using data signals within the second signal frequency range, wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (d) overlap.

5. A method as in claim 4 additionally comprising the step of:

(e) when the destination address is for a first subset of at least two of the plurality of network nodes, performing the following substeps;

(e.1) storing the data packet until completion of step (b), and

(e.2) upon completion of step (b) sending the data packet from the hub to the first subset of network nodes.

6. A method as in claim 4 wherein the first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs includes two twisted wire pairs and the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs includes two twisted wire pairs.

7. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range;

(b) after step (a), sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in time;

wherein

the first signal frequency range is lower than the second frequency range;

step (a) includes filtering by the hub of control signals received from the first network node using a first squelch level;

step (b) includes filtering by the hub of data signals received from the first network node using a second squelch level;

the first squelch level is higher than the second squelch level;

the squelch level is changed from the first squelch level to the second squelch level based on receipt of a particular control signal; and

,

the squelch level is changed from the second squelch level to the first squelch level based on receipt of particular control information within the data signals.

8. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, each network node being connected to the hub using a separate plurality of twisted wire pairs, each plurality of twisted wire pairs having a first set of twisted wire pairs and a second set of twisted wire pairs, where at least one of the first set of twisted wire pairs and the second set of twisted wire pairs includes more than one twisted wire pair, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps;

(a.1) beginning transmission, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, of a first data packet to the hub on the first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot, for activity over the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub, and

(a.3) upon the first network node detecting activity over the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub during the arbitration time slot, ceasing transmission by the first network node; and

,

(b) during the arbitration time slot, performing the following substep by the hub

(b.1) upon detecting more than one network node beginning to send a data packet to the hub, sending a signal to each of the network nodes on each second set of twisted wire pairs.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein step (a) additionally includes the substep of:

(a.4) upon the first network node not detecting activity over the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub during the arbitration time slot, upon completion of the arbitration time slot, continuing transmission, by the first network node of the first data packet on both the first set and the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein for each plurality of twisted wire pairs, the first set of twisted wire pairs consists of two twisted wire pairs and the second set of twisted wire pairs consists of two twisted wire pairs.

11. A method as in claim 9 wherein for each plurality of twisted wire pairs, a total number of twisted wire pairs in the plurality of twisted wire pairs is four, the first set of twisted wire pairs consists of three twisted wire pairs and the second set of twisted wire pairs consists of three twisted wire pairs.

26. A method as in claim 8 wherein for each plurality of twisted wire pairs, a total number of twisted wire pairs in the plurality of twisted wire pairs is four, the first set of twisted wire pairs consists of three twisted wire pairs and the second set of twisted wire pairs consists of three twisted wire pairs.

12. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps

(a.1) beginning transmission, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, of a first data packet to the hub, the transmission being in a first data frequency range,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot, for a signal sent from the hub to the network node, the signal, when sent, being sent in a second data frequency range wherein the first data frequency range and the second data frequency range do not overlap, and

(a.3) upon the first network node receiving the signal from the hub during the arbitration time slot, ceasing transmission by the first network node; and

,

(b) during the arbitration time slot, performing the following substep by the hub

(b.1) upon detecting more than one network node beginning to send a data packet to the hub, sending the signal to each of the network nodes.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein each network node is connected to the hub using four twisted wire pairs.

14. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps

(a.1) beginning transmission, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, of a first data packet to the hub,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot, for a signal sent from the hub to the network node, the signal, when sent, being sent as a common mode signal, and

(a.3) upon the first network node receiving the signal from the hub during the arbitration time slot, ceasing transmission by the first network node; and

,

(b) during the arbitration time slot, performing the following substep by the hub

(b.1) upon detecting more than one network node beginning to send a data packet to the hub, sending the signal to each of the network nodes using common mode signaling, wherein each network node is connected to the hub using a plurality of twisted wire pairs and in substep (b.1) the hub sends common mode AC signal on two twisted wire pairs simultaneously and 180 degrees out of phase to each network node.

15. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method comprising the step of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps

(a.1) beginning transmission, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, of a first data packet to the hub, the transmission being in a first data frequency range,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot, for a signal sent from the hub to the network node, the signal, when sent, being sent in the first data frequency range, the listening including the substep of

(a.2.1) canceling transmit energy received by the first network node from the transmission of data being performed in step (a.1), and

(a.3) upon the first network node receiving the signal from the hub during the arbitration time slot, ceasing transmission by the first network node.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein each network node is connected to the hub using four twisted wire pairs.

20. A method as in claim 15 additionally comprising the step of:

(b) during the arbitration time slot, performing the following substep by the hub;

(b.1) upon detecting more than one network node beginning to send a data packet to the hub, sending a signal to each of the network nodes using the first data frequency range.

17. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps

(a.1) transmitting, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, a first request tone within a first frequency range,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot, for a collision signal sent from the hub to the network node,

(a.3) upon the first network node not receiving the collision signal from the hub during the arbitration time slot, transmitting a first data packet to the hub, wherein the first data packet is transferred by the first network node, and

(a.4) upon the first network node receiving the collision signal from the hub during the arbitration time slot, backing off, by the first network node; and

,

(b) during the arbitration time slot, performing the following substep by the hub

(b.1) when the hub detects more than one network node transmitting the first request tone, sending the collision signal to each of the network nodes during the arbitration time slot.

18. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes using twisted wire pairs, a method which provides for a first network node, connected to the hub using a first plurality of twisted wire pairs, to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub using a first set of the first plurality of twisted wire pairs to send control signals from the first network node to the hub and using a second set of the first plurality of twisted wire pairs is used to send control signals from the hub to the first network node; and

,

(b) sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub using all twisted wire pairs in the first plurality of twisted wire pairs.

19. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, each network node being connected to the hub using a separate plurality of twisted wire pairs, each plurality of twisted wire pairs having a first set of twisted wire pairs and a second set of twisted wire pairs, a method comprising the step of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps;

(a.1) beginning transmission, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, of a first data packet to the hub on the first set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub,

(a.2) listening, by the first network node during the arbitration time slot for activity over the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub, and

(a.3) upon the first network node not detecting activity over the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub during the arbitration time slot, upon completion of the arbitration time slot, continuing transmission, by the first network node of the first data packet on both the first set and the second set of the plurality of twisted wire pairs connecting the first network node to the hub.

21. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method comprising the step of:

(a) when a first network node desires to send a data packet, performing by the first network node the following substeps

(a.1) beginning transmission of the data packet, by the first network node during an arbitration time slot, over a plurality of wire mediums between the first network node and the hub;

(a.2) concurrent with substep (a.1) transmitting by the first network node over a first set of the plurality of wire mediums a first collision signal; and

,

(a.3) concurrent with substep (a.1) and (a.2) listening, by the first network node, for a second collision signal sent from the hub to the network node, the second collision signal, when sent, being sent over a second set of the plurality of wire mediums.

24. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range;

(b) after step (a), sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different and wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in time;

(c) checking by the hub, a destination address for the data packet sent in step (b), wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (c) overlap; and

,

(d) when the destination address is for a second network node in the plurality of network nodes, performing the following substep;

(d.1) sending the data packet from the hub to the second network node, the data packet being sent using data signals within the second signal frequency range, wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (d) overlap and wherein the hub sends the data packet only to the second network node.

25. In a local network system in which a hub is connected to each of a plurality of network nodes, a method which provides for a first network node to transmit a data packet to the hub, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network node and the hub, the exchange of control signals being done in a first signal frequency range;

(b) after step (a), sending a data packet from the first network node to the hub, the data packet being sent using data signals within a second signal frequency range, wherein the first signal frequency range and the second signal frequency range are different and wherein step (a) and step (b) do not overlap in time;

(c) checking by the hub, a destination address for the data packet sent in step (b), wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (c) overlap; and

,

(d) when the destination address is for a second network node in the plurality of network nodes, performing the following substep;

(d.1) sending the data packet from the hub to the second network node, the data packet being sent using data signals within the second signal frequency range, wherein time of performance for step (b) and step (d) overlap and wherein in response to a control signal from the hub, the second network node changes to filter received data at a new squelch level in preparation for receipt of the data packet from the hub.

27. In a local network system in which a plurality of network devices are interconnected to each, a method which provides for a first network device to transmit a data packet to a second network device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) exchanging control signals between the first network device and the second network device including filtering by the second network device of control signals received from the first network device using a first squelch level; and

,

(b) sending a data packet from the first network device to the second network device, including filtering by the second network device of data signals received from the first network device using a second squelch level, wherein the first squelch level is higher than the second squelch level, the squelch level is changed from the first squelch level to the second squelch level based on receipt of a particular control signal, and the squelch level is changed from the second squelch level to the first squelch level based on receipt of particular control information within the data signals.

28. A method as in claim 27 wherein the second squelch level is zero squelch so that in step (b) squelch filtering is not performed.

29. A method as in claim 27 wherein the first network device is a hub and the second network device is a network node connected to the hub.

30. A method as in claim 27 wherein the second network device is a hub and the first network device is a network node connected to the hub.