Link transmission control with common time reference
First Claim
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1. A transmission system for coupling of data units from an output port to an input port of a communications channel, the system comprising:
- a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) signal providing a common time reference (CTR);
wherein the CTR is coupled to a transmitter subsystem and a receiver subsystem;
a source of delimiter signals selected responsive to to CTR;
wherein the transmitter subsystem is responsive to the delimiter signals and the CTR for sending control information and data units over the communications channel;
a plurality of queue buffers within the receiver subsystem; and
wherein the receiver subsystem is physically separate from the transmitter subsystem, wherein the receiver subsystem provides for storing the received data units from the communications channel responsive to the selected ones of the delimiter signals and the CTR.
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Abstract
This invention specifies how control information is inserted in the flow of data units on a channel between two common time reference (CTR) driven switches in order to delineate time frames, sub-time frames, and time cycles. The delineation enables the receiver to unambiguously associate the received data units with time frame, sub-time frame, and time cycles. The invention further introduces a method for counting data units in order to, among other things, detect the end of a time frame, the end of a time cycle, and the position and value of other control information.
23 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A transmission system for coupling of data units from an output port to an input port of a communications channel, the system comprising:
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a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) signal providing a common time reference (CTR);
wherein the CTR is coupled to a transmitter subsystem and a receiver subsystem;a source of delimiter signals selected responsive to to CTR; wherein the transmitter subsystem is responsive to the delimiter signals and the CTR for sending control information and data units over the communications channel; a plurality of queue buffers within the receiver subsystem; and wherein the receiver subsystem is physically separate from the transmitter subsystem, wherein the receiver subsystem provides for storing the received data units from the communications channel responsive to the selected ones of the delimiter signals and the CTR. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A transmission system for coupling of data units from an output port to an input port of a communications channel, the system comprising:
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a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) signal providing a common time reference (CTR); a source of time frame safety gaps selected responsive to the CTR; a transmitter subsystem, responsive to delimiter signals and the CTR for sending safety gaps, control information and data units over the communications channel; a receiver subsystem physically separate from the transmitter subsystem; and a plurality of queue buffers within the receiver subsystem, wherein the received subsystem provides for storing the received data units from the communications channel responsive to the selected ones of the safety gaps and the CTR. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A transmission method for coupling of data units from an output port to an input port of a communications channel, the method comprising:
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providing a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) signal as a common time reference (CTR); a source of delimiter signals selected responsive to the CTR; a transmitter subsystem, responsive to the delimiter signals and the CTR for selectively sending control signals and data units over the communications channel; a receiver subsystem physically separate from the transmitter subsystem; and a plurality of queue buffers within the receiver subsystem, wherein the receiver subsystem provides for storing the received data units from the communications channel responsive to a selected one of the delimiter signals and the CTR. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A transmission method for coupling of data units from an output port to an input port of a communications channel, the method comprising:
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providing a common time reference (CTR) comprising a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) signal; generating a source of time frame safety gaps responsive to the CTR; sending control signals and data units over the communications channel responsive to the safety gaps and the CTR; and storing the received data units at a physically separate receiver subsystem in a selected one of a plurality of queue buffers, responsive to a selected one of the safety gaps and the CTR. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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Specification