Method and apparatus for communicating data between first and second pairs of transceivers communicating on a common communications link
First Claim
1. A method of communicating data between first and second pairs of transceivers communicating on a common communications link, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods in communications between transceivers of said first transceiver pair;
b) synchronizing transceivers of said second pair of transceivers, for communication with each other; and
c) causing the second pair of transceivers to use the idle periods determined by monitoring, for conducting communications therebetween.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for combining data from first and second separate data transceivers onto a common data link. The method involves transceiving data at the first data transceiver using the common communications link, at regular intervals of time, and monitoring the common communications link to identify idle periods during which data associated with the first data transceiver is not present. The second data transceiver is synchronized with a corresponding transceiver in communication with the common communications link and communications are established between the second data transceiver and the corresponding transceiver, during the idle periods.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of communicating data between first and second pairs of transceivers communicating on a common communications link, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods in communications between transceivers of said first transceiver pair;
b) synchronizing transceivers of said second pair of transceivers, for communication with each other; and
c) causing the second pair of transceivers to use the idle periods determined by monitoring, for conducting communications therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for communicating data on a common communications link, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a first pair of transceivers communicating with each other on said common communications link at predefined intervals of time;
b) a monitor for monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods during which data associated with said first pair of transceivers is not present;
c) a second pair of transceivers for transceiving data on said common communications link during said idle periods; and
d) a synchronizer for synchronizing data transceivers of said second pair for communications therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for communicating data between first and second pairs of transceivers communicating on a common communications link, the apparatus comprising:
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a) means for monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods in communications between transceivers of said first transceiver pair;
b) means for synchronizing transceivers of said second pair of transceivers, for communication with each other; and
c) means for causing the second pair of transceivers to use the idle periods determined by monitoring, for conducting communications therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of combining data from first and second separate data transceivers onto a common data link, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) transceiving data at said first data transceiver using said common communications link, at regular intervals of time;
b) monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods during which data associated with said first data transceiver is not present;
c) synchronizing said second data transceiver with a corresponding transceiver in communication with said common communications link; and
d) causing the second data transceiver to use the idle periods determined by monitoring, for conducting communications with said corresponding transceiver.
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49. An apparatus for communicating data on a common data link, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a first data transceiver for transceiving data on said common communications link at regular intervals of time;
b) a monitor for monitoring said common communications link to identify idle periods during which data associated with said first data transceiver is not present;
c) a second data transceiver for transceiving data on said common communications link during said idle periods; and
d) a synchronizer for synchronizing said second data transceiver with a corresponding transceiver in communication with said common communications link.
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Specification