Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network

US 7,254,140 B1
Filed: 01/14/2002
Issued: 08/07/2007
Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A method for transceiving data in a micro area network that includes a plurality of data transceiving entities, the method comprises:

determining by a control circuit that is coupled to the micro area network, a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network between a first transceiving entity and at least one target transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities;

selecting by the control circuit one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources;

communicating from the control unit to the first and second transceiving entities data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;

obtaining, by the first data transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities, a data unit for transmission, wherein the data unit includes payload data and overhead data, wherein the overhead data identifies the at least one target entity;

formatting, by the first data transceiving entity, the payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;

formatting, by the first data transceiving entity, the overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data;

transmitting, by the first data transceiving entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to the at least one target entity;

receiving, by the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;

deformatting, by the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce retrieved payload data;

deformatting, by the at least one target entity, the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and

reconstructing, by the at least one target entity, the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network includes processing that begins by obtaining a data unit for transmission by a first data transceiving entity of a micro area network. The processing then continues when the first data transceiving entity formats the payload data using a first transmission format convention. The first data transceiving entity also formats the overhead data using a second transmission formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data. The formatting of the overhead data and/or payload data may include encoding and/or modulating the data. The processing continues when the first data transceiving entity transmits the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to at least one target entity within the micro-area network. The process continues when a target entity receives the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data. The target entity then deformats the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to recapture the payload data and deformats the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to retrieve the overhead data. The target entity then reconstructs the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.

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191 Claims

1. A method for transceiving data in a micro area network that includes a plurality of data transceiving entities, the method comprises:
- determining by a control circuit that is coupled to the micro area network, a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network between a first transceiving entity and at least one target transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities;
  
  selecting by the control circuit one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources;
  
  communicating from the control unit to the first and second transceiving entities data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  obtaining, by the first data transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities, a data unit for transmission, wherein the data unit includes payload data and overhead data, wherein the overhead data identifies the at least one target entity;
  
  formatting, by the first data transceiving entity, the payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;
  
  formatting, by the first data transceiving entity, the overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data;
  
  transmitting, by the first data transceiving entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to the at least one target entity;
  
  receiving, by the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
  
  deformatting, by the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  deformatting, by the at least one target entity, the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  reconstructing, by the at least one target entity, the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.
- 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, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 76, 190, 191)
- - 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the data unit further comprises at least one of:
    - receiving the data from a source external to the micro area network;
      
      receiving the data from a source within the micro area network; and
      
      generating the data.
  - 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - encoding the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the encoding the payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the payload data;
      
      Manchester encoding the payload data;
      
      block encoding the payload data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - modulating the encoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the formatted payload data.
  - 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, single path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - modulating the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the modulating the payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the payload data;
      
      time division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the payload data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the payload data;
      
      frequency shift keying the payload data;
      
      phase shift keying the payload data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the payload data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the payload data.
  - 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - encoding the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the encoding the overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the overhead data;
      
      Manchester encoding the overhead data;
      
      block encoding the overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - modulating the encoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - modulating the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the modulating the overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the overhead data;
      
      time division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the overhead data;
      
      frequency shift keying the overhead data;
      
      phase shift keying the overhead data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the overhead data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the overhead data.
  - 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - interpreting the overhead data to identify the at least one target entity;
      
      determining whether the at least one target entity is a termination destination of the payload data or an intermediate destination of the payload data; and
      
      when the at least one target entity is the termination destination, modifying at least one of network layer overhead information, link layer overhead information, and physical layer overhead information of the overhead data into micro area network overhead data, wherein the micro area network overhead data identifies the target entity and data use information.
  - 15. The method of claim 14 further comprises:
    - when the at least one target entity is the intermediate destination, providing at least a portion of the at least one of the network layer overhead information, the link layer overhead information, and the physical layer overhead information of the overhead data to the at least one target entity.
  - 16. The method of claim 14 further comprises:
    - determining a type of the at least one target entity; and
      
      generating the micro area network overhead data based on the type of at least one target entity.
  - 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - transmitting the formatted overhead data on a first communication path to the at least one target entity; and
      
      transmitting the formatted payload data on a second communication path to the at least one target entity.
  - 18. The method of claim 17 further comprises at least one of:
    - synchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the at least one target entity such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the at least one target entity, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - obtaining access to at least one communication path to the at least one target entity via at least one of;
      
      utilizing carrier sense multiple access protocol;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving access to the at least one communication path from a controller.
  - 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - decoding the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the decoding the formatted payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      block decoding the formatted payload data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - demodulating the decoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - demodulating the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the demodulating the formatted payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data.
  - 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - decoding the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the decoding the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      block decoding the formatted overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - demodulating the decoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 30. The method of claim 1, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - demodulating the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the demodulating the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data.
  - 32. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - receiving the formatted overhead data on a first communication path; and
      
      receiving the formatted payload data on a second communication path.
  - 33. The method of claim 32 further comprises at least one of:
    - synchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 34. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 35. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - monitoring at least one communication path for the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving instructions to monitor the at least one communication path from a controller.
  - 76. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 190. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions include a plurality of second transmission format conventions that are different from one another.
  - 191. The method of claim 190, wherein the plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions include a plurality of first transmission format conventions that are different from one another.

36. A system for transceiving data in a micro area network that includes a plurality of data transceiving entities, the system comprises:
- a control module coupled to the micro area network, the control module configured to;
  
  determine a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network between a first transceiving entity and at least one target transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities;
  
  select one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources; and
  
  communicate to the first and second transceiving entities data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  a first processing module coupled to the control module;
  
  a second processing module coupled to the control module;
  
  a first memory coupled to the first processing module, wherein the first memory includes first operational instructions that cause the first processing module to;
  
  obtain, as the first data transceiving entity of the plurality of data transceiving entities, a data unit for transmission, wherein the data unit includes payload data and overhead data, wherein the overhead data identifies the at least one target entity;
  
  format, as the first data transceiving entity, the payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;
  
  format, as the first data transceiving entity, the overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data;
  
  transmit, as the first data transceiving entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to the at least one target entity;
  
  a second memory coupled to the first processing module, wherein the second memory includes second operational instructions that cause the second processing module to;
  
  receive, as the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
  
  deformat, as the at least one target entity, the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  deformat, as the at least one target entity, the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  reconstruct, as the at least one target entity, the data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.
- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
- - 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to obtain the data unit by at least one of:
    - receiving the data from a source external to the micro area network;
      
      receiving the data from a source within the micro area network; and
      
      generating the data.
  - 38. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the payload data by:
    - encoding the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to encode the payload data by at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the payload data;
      
      Manchester encoding the payload data;
      
      block encoding the payload data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 40. The system of claim 38, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the payload data by:
    - modulating the encoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the formatted payload data.
  - 41. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the payload data by:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, single path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 42. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the payload data by:
    - modulating the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 43. The system of claim 42, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to modulate the payload data by at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the payload data;
      
      time division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the payload data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the payload data;
      
      frequency shift keying the payload data;
      
      phase shift keying the payload data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the payload data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the payload data.
  - 44. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - encoding the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 45. The system of claim 44, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to encode the overhead data by at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the overhead data;
      
      Manchester encoding the overhead data;
      
      block encoding the overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 46. The system of claim 44, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - modulating the encoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 47. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - modulating the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 48. The system of claim 47, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to modulate the overhead data by at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the overhead data;
      
      time division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the overhead data;
      
      frequency shift keying the overhead data;
      
      phase shift keying the overhead data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the overhead data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the overhead data.
  - 49. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - interpreting the overhead data to identify the at least one target entity;
      
      determining whether the at least one target entity is a termination destination of the payload data or an intermediate destination of the payload data; and
      
      when the at least one target entity is the termination destination, modifying at least one of network layer overhead information, link layer overhead information, and physical overhead information of the overhead data into micro area network overhead data, wherein the micro area network overhead data identifies the target entity and data use information.
  - 50. The system of claim 49, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to:
    - when the at least one target entity is the intermediate destination, provide at least a portion of the at least one of the network layer overhead information, the link layer overhead information, and the physical overhead information of the overhead data to the target entity.
  - 51. The system of claim 49, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to:
    - determine a type of the at least one target entity; and
      
      generate the micro area network overhead data based on the type of at least one target entity.
  - 52. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to transmit the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data by:
    - transmitting the formatted overhead data on a first communication path to the at least one target entity; and
      
      transmitting the formatted payload data on a second communication path to the at least one target entity.
  - 53. The system of claim 52, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to, at least one of:
    - synchronously transmit the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the at least one target entity such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously transmit the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the at least one target entity, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 54. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 55. The system of claim 36, wherein the first memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the first processing module to transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - obtaining access to at least one communication path to the at least one target entity via at least one of;
      
      utilizing carrier sense multiple access protocol;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving access to the at least one communication path from a controller.
  - 56. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - decoding the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 57. The system of claim 56, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to decode the formatted payload data by at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      block decoding the formatted payload data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 58. The system of claim 56, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - demodulating the decoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 59. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 60. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - demodulating the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 61. The system of claim 60, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to demodulate the formatted payload data by at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data.
  - 62. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - decoding the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 63. The system of claim 62, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to decode the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      block decoding the formatted overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 64. The system of claim 62, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - demodulating the decoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 65. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - demodulating the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 66. The system of claim 65, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to demodulate the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data.
  - 67. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to receive the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data by:
    - receiving the formatted overhead data on a first communication path; and
      
      receiving the formatted payload data on a second communication path.
  - 68. The system of claim 67, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to, at least one of:
    - synchronously receive the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously receive the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 69. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to receive the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 70. The system of claim 36, wherein the second memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the second processing module to receive the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - monitoring at least one communication path for the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving instructions to monitor the at least one communication path from a controller.

71. A method for transmitting data in a micro area network, the method comprises:
- determining by a control circuit that is coupled to the micro area network, a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network from a transmitting entity to at least one target entity in the micro area network;
  
  selecting by the control circuit one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources;
  
  communicating from the control unit to the transmitting entity data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  obtaining a data unit for transmission, wherein the data unit includes payload data and overhead data, wherein the overhead data identifies at least one target entity of the micro area network for receiving the data unit;
  
  formatting the payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;
  
  formatting the overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data; and
  
  transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to the at least one target entity in the micro area network; and
  
  wherein the obtaining, formatting and transmitting are performed by the transmitting entity.
- View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
- - 72. The method of claim 71, wherein the obtaining the data further comprises at least one of:
    - receiving the data from a source external to the micro area network;
      
      receiving the data from a source within the micro area network; and
      
      generating the data.
  - 73. The method of claim 71, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - encoding the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 74. The method of claim 73, wherein the encoding the payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the payload data;
      
      Manchester encoding the payload data;
      
      block encoding the payload data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 75. The method of claim 73, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - modulating the encoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the formatted payload data.
  - 77. The method of claim 71, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - modulating the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 78. The method of claim 77, wherein the modulating the payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the payload data;
      
      time division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the payload data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the payload data;
      
      frequency shift keying the payload data;
      
      phase shift keying the payload data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the payload data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the payload data.
  - 79. The method of claim 71, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - encoding the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 80. The method of claim 79, wherein the encoding the overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the overhead data;
      
      Manchester encoding the overhead data;
      
      block encoding the overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 81. The method of claim 79, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - modulating the encoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 82. The method of claim 71, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - modulating the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 83. The method of claim 82, wherein the modulating the overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the overhead data;
      
      time division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the overhead data;
      
      frequency shift keying the overhead data;
      
      phase shift keying the overhead data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the overhead data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the overhead data.
  - 84. The method of claim 71, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - interpreting the overhead data to identify a target entity within the micro area network;
      
      determining whether the target entity is a termination destination of the payload data or an intermediate destination of the payload data; and
      
      when the target entity is the termination destination, modifying at least one of network layer overhead information, link layer overhead information, and physical overhead information of the overhead data into micro area network overhead data, wherein the micro area network overhead data identifies the target entity and data use information.
  - 85. The method of claim 84 further comprises:
    - when the target entity is the intermediate destination, providing at least a portion of the at least one of the network layer overhead information, the link layer overhead information, and the physical overhead information of the overhead data to the target entity.
  - 86. The method of claim 84 further comprises:
    - determining a type of target entity; and
      
      generating the micro area network overhead data based on the type of target entity.
  - 87. The method of claim 71, wherein the transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - transmitting the formatted overhead data on a first communication path to the target entity; and
      
      transmitting the formatted payload data on a second communication path to the target entity.
  - 88. The method of claim 87 further comprises at least one of:
    - synchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 89. The method of claim 71, wherein the transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 90. The method of claim 71, wherein the transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - obtaining access to at least one communication path to the at least one target entity via at least one of;
      
      utilizing carrier sense multiple access protocol;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving access to the at least one communication path from a controller.

91. A method for transmitting data within a network, the method comprises:
- obtaining a data unit for transmission to a target entity within the micro area network;
  
  logically separating overhead data of the data from payload data of the data unit;
  
  formatting the overhead data using a data formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data; and
  
  formatting at least a portion of the payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce a formatted data unit;
  
  wherein formatting the payload data includes modulating the formatted payload data on the formatted overhead data to produce the formatted data unit;
  
  transmitting the formatted data unit over the micro area network.
- View Dependent Claims (92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
- - 92. The method of claim 91, wherein the data unit comprises at least one of:
    - a datagram, a data packet, and a data frame.
  - 93. The method of claim 91, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - determining rate of the payload data;
      
      determining size of the payload data;
      
      determining size of the overhead data; and
      
      adjusting rate of the overhead data based on the rate of the payload data, the size of the payload data, and the size of the overhead data to produce an adjusted rate of the overhead data such that a rate-size function of the payload data is within a tolerance limit of an adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data.
  - 94. The method of claim 93, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - encoding the overhead data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel encoding, pulse position modulation, pulse amplitude modulation, amplitude shift keying, and phase shift keying to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 95. The method of claim 94, wherein the formatting the payload data further comprises:
    - encoding the payload data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel encoding, block encoding, nB/mB encoding, non return to zero encoding, and Manchester encoding, where n<
      
      m, to produce encoded payload.
  - 96. The method of claim 93 further comprises:
    - determining whether the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is within acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data; and
      
      when the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is not within the acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data, padding the overhead data until the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is within the acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data.
  - 97. The method of claim 91, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - adding idle data to the overhead data to produced padded overhead data such that a rate-size function of the payload data is within a tolerance limit of a rate-size function of the padded overhead data.
  - 98. The method of claim 91, wherein the formatting the overhead data further comprises:
    - providing control data with the overhead data; and
      
      formatting the control data and the overhead data to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 99. The method of claim 91 further comprises:
    - obtaining the data unit as a data packet of a physical network, wherein the payload data of the data unit includes a datagram, and wherein the datagram includes datagram overhead data and datagram payload data;
      
      logically separating the overhead data, the datagram overhead data, and the datagram payload data;
      
      formatting the datagram overhead data based on the encoding scheme to produce formatted datagram overhead data; and
      
      formatting the datagram payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data and the formatted datagram overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce the formatted data unit.

100. An apparatus for transmitting data in a micro area network, the apparatus comprises:
- a control circuit coupled to the micro area network, the control circuit configured to;
  
  determine a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network from a transmitting entity to at least one target entity in the micro area network;
  
  select one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources; and
  
  communicate to the transmitting entity data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  a processing module; and
  
  a memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to operate as the transmitting entity to;
  
  obtain data for transmission, wherein the data includes at least one frame, wherein each of the at least one frames includes payload data and overhead data, wherein the overhead data identifies the at least one target entity for receiving the at least one frame;
  
  format the payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;
  
  format the overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data; and
  
  transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data to the at least one target entity in the micro area network.
- View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119)
- - 101. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to obtain the data by at least one of:
    - receiving the data from a source external to the micro area network;
      
      receiving the data from a source within the micro area network; and
      
      generating the data.
  - 102. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data by:
    - encoding the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 103. The apparatus of claim 102, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to encode the payload data by at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the payload data;
      
      Manchester encoding the payload data;
      
      block encoding the payload data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 104. The apparatus of claim 102, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data by:
    - obtaining a modulation scheme for modulating the encoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the formatted payload data.
  - 105. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data by:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 106. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data by:
    - modulating the payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce encoded payload data.
  - 107. The apparatus of claim 106, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to modulate the payload data by at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the payload data;
      
      time division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the payload data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the payload data;
      
      frequency shift keying the payload data;
      
      phase shift keying the payload data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the payload data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the payload data.
  - 108. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - encoding the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 109. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to encode the overhead data by at least one of:
    - multilevel encoding the overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) encoding the overhead data;
      
      Manchester encoding the overhead data;
      
      block encoding the overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB encoding the overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 110. The apparatus of claim 108, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - modulating the encoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 111. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - modulating the overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 112. The apparatus of claim 111, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to modulate the overhead data by at least one of:
    - pulse position modulating the overhead data;
      
      time division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      frequency division multiplexing the overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude modulating the overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift keying the overhead data;
      
      frequency shift keying the overhead data;
      
      phase shift keying the overhead data;
      
      quadrature phase shift keying the overhead data; and
      
      carrier sense multiple accessing the overhead data.
  - 113. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - interpreting the overhead data to identify a target entity within the micro area network;
      
      determining whether the target entity is a termination destination of the payload data or an intermediate destination of the payload data; and
      
      when the target entity is the termination destination, modifying at least one of network layer overhead information, link layer overhead information, and physical overhead information of the overhead data into micro area network overhead data, wherein the micro area network overhead data identifies the target entity and data use information.
  - 114. The apparatus of claim 113, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - when the target entity is the intermediate destination, provide at least a portion of the at least one of the network layer overhead information, the link layer overhead information, and the physical overhead information of the overhead data to the target entity.
  - 115. The apparatus of claim 113, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - determine a type of target entity; and
      
      generate the micro area network overhead data based on the type of target entity.
  - 116. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to transmit the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data by:
    - transmitting the formatted overhead data on a first communication path to the target entity; and
      
      transmitting the formatted payload data on a second communication path the target entity.
  - 117. The apparatus of claim 116, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to perform at least one of:
    - synchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 118. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - transmitting the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 119. The apparatus of claim 100, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to transmit the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - obtaining access to at least one communication path to the at least one target entity via at least one of;
      
      utilizing carrier sense multiple access protocol;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      transmitting the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving access to the at least one communication path from a controller.

120. An apparatus for transmitting data within a network, the apparatus comprises:
- a processing module; and
  
  a memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
  
  obtain a data unit for transmission to a target entity within the micro area network;
  
  logically separate overhead data of the data from payload data of the data unit;
  
  format the overhead data using a data formatting convention to produce formatted overhead data;
  
  format at least a portion of the payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce a formatted data unit;
  
  wherein the instructions that format the payload data include instructions that modulate the encoded payload data on the formatted overhead data to produce the formatted data unit; and
  
  transmit the formatted data unit over the micro area network.
- View Dependent Claims (121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127)
- - 121. The apparatus of claim 120, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - determining rate of the payload data;
      
      determining size of the payload data;
      
      determining size of the overhead data; and
      
      adjusting the rate of the overhead data based on the rate of the payload data, the size of the payload data, and the size of the overhead data to produce an adjusted rate of the overhead data such that a rate-size function of the payload data is within a tolerance limit of an adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data.
  - 122. The apparatus of claim 120, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - encoding the overhead data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel encoding, pulse position modulation, pulse amplitude modulation, amplitude shift keying, and phase shift keying to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 123. The apparatus of claim 122, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data by:
    - encoding the payload data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel encoding, block encoding, nB/mB encoding, non return to zero encoding, and Manchester encoding, where n<
      
      m, to produce encoding payload data; and
      
      modulating the encoded payload data on the formatted overhead data to produce the formatted data unit.
  - 124. The apparatus of claim 121, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - determine whether the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is within acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data;
      
      when the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is not within the acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data, pad the overhead data until the adjusted rate-size function of the overhead data is within the acceptable tolerance limits of the rate-size function of the payload data.
  - 125. The apparatus of claim 120, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - adding idle data to the overhead data to produced padded overhead data such that a rate-size function of the payload data is within a tolerance limit of a rate-size function of the padded overhead data.
  - 126. The apparatus of claim 120, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the overhead data by:
    - providing control data with the overhead data; and
      
      formatting the control data and the overhead data to produce the formatted overhead data.
  - 127. The apparatus of claim 120, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - obtain the data unit as a data packet of a physical network, wherein the payload data of the data unit includes a datagram, and wherein the datagram includes datagram overhead data and datagram payload data;
      
      logically separate the overhead data, the datagram overhead data, and the datagram payload data;
      
      format the datagram overhead data based on the encoding scheme to produce formatted datagram overhead data; and
      
      format the datagram payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data and the formatted datagram overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce the formatted data unit.

128. A method for receiving data in a micro area network, the method comprises:
- determining by a control circuit that is coupled to the micro area network, a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network from at least one transmitting entity to a target entity in the micro area network;
  
  selecting by the control circuit one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in part on the desired data rate and available transmission resources;
  
  communicating from the control unit to the target entity data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  receiving formatted payload data and formatted overhead data from the at least one transmitting entity in the micro area network;
  
  deformatting the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  deformatting the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  reconstructing a data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data; and
  
  wherein the receiving deformatting, and reconstructing are performed at the target entity.
- View Dependent Claims (129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143)
- - 129. The method of claim 128, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - decoding the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 130. The method of claim 129, wherein the decoding the formatted payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      block decoding the formatted payload data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 131. The method of claim 129, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - demodulating the decoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 132. The method of claim 128, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 133. The method of claim 128, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - demodulating the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 134. The method of claim 133, wherein the demodulating the formatted payload data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data.
  - 135. The method of claim 128, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - decoding the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 136. The method of claim 135, wherein the decoding the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      block decoding the formatted overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 137. The method of claim 135, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - demodulating the decoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 138. The method of claim 128, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - demodulating the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 139. The method of claim 138, wherein the demodulating the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data.
  - 140. The method of claim 128, wherein the receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - receiving the formatted overhead data on a first communication path; and
      
      receiving the formatted payload data on a second communication path.
  - 141. The method of claim 140 further comprises at least one of:
    - synchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 142. The method of claim 128, wherein the receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 143. The method of claim 128, wherein the receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data further comprises at least one of:
    - monitoring at least one communication path for the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving instructions to monitor the at least one communication path from a controller.

144. A method for receiving data within a network, the method comprises:
- receiving a formatted data unit that includes formatted overhead data and formatted payload data;
  
  deformatting the formatted payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on a data formatting convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data includes filtering the formatted overhead data from the formatted data unit to produce retrieved payload data; and
  
  deformatting the formatted overhead data using the data formatting convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  logically combining the retrieved overhead data and the retrieved payload data to produce a retrieved data unit.
- View Dependent Claims (145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
- - 145. The method of claim 144, wherein the data unit comprises at least one of:
    - a datagram, a data packet, and a data frame.
  - 146. The method of claim 144, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - decoding the formatted overhead data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel decoding, pulse position demodulation, pulse amplitude demodulation, amplitude shift dekeying, and phase shift dekeying to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 147. The method of claim 146, wherein the deformatting the formatted payload data further comprises:
    - decoding the filtered payload data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel decoding, block decoding, nB/mB decoding, non return to zero decoding, and Manchester decoding, where n<
      
      m, to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 148. The method of claim 144, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - removing idle data from the retrieved overhead data to produced overhead data.
  - 149. The method of claim 144, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - identifying control data within the retrieved overhead data.
  - 150. The method of claim 144 further comprises:
    - receiving a formatted data unit that includes the formatted overhead data, formatted datagram overhead data, and formatted datagram payload data;
      
      deformatting the formatted datagram payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce retrieved datagram payload data;
      
      deformatting the formatted datagram overhead data using the data formatting convention to produce retrieved datagram overhead data; and
      
      logically combining the retrieved overhead data, the retrieved datagram overhead data, and the retrieved datagram payload data to produce the retrieved data unit.

151. An apparatus for receiving data in a micro area network, the apparatus comprises:
- a control circuit coupled to the micro area network, the control circuit configured to;
  
  determine a desired data rate and available transmission resources in the micro area network from at least one transmitting entity to a target entity in the micro area network;
  
  select by the control circuit one combination of a plurality of combinations of first and second transmission format conventions based at least in cart on the desired data rate and available transmission resources; and
  
  communicate from the control unit to the target entity data indicative of the first and second transmission format conventions;
  
  a processing module; and
  
  a memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to operate as the target entity to;
  
  receive formatted payload data and formatted overhead data from the at least one transmitting entity in the micro area network;
  
  deformat the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  deformat the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  reconstruct a data unit from the retrieved payload data and the retrieved overhead data.
- View Dependent Claims (152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166)
- - 152. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - decoding the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 153. The apparatus of claim 152, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to decode the formatted payload data by at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted payload data;
      
      block decoding the formatted payload data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted payload data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 154. The apparatus of claim 152, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - demodulating the decoded payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 155. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - obtaining data transmission parameters that include at least one of;
      
      serial data transmission, parallel data transmission, signal path transmission, multi-path transmission, and data rate.
  - 156. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - demodulating the formatted payload data as at least part of the first transmission format convention to produce decoded payload data.
  - 157. The apparatus of claim 156, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to demodulate the formatted payload data by at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted payload data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted payload data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted payload data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted payload data.
  - 158. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data:
    - obtaining a decoding scheme for decoding the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 159. The apparatus of claim 158, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to decode the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - multilevel decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      non return to zero (NRZ) decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      Manchester decoding the formatted overhead data;
      
      block decoding the formatted overhead data; and
      
      nB/mB decoding the formatted overhead data, where n<
      
      m.
  - 160. The apparatus of claim 158, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - obtaining a demodulation scheme for demodulating the decoded overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 161. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - obtaining a demodulation scheme for demodulating the formatted overhead data as at least part of the second transmission format convention to produce decoded overhead data.
  - 162. The apparatus of claim 161, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to demodulate the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - pulse position demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      time division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency division demultiplexing the formatted overhead data;
      
      pulse amplitude demodulating the formatted overhead data;
      
      amplitude shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      frequency shift dekeying the formatted overhead data;
      
      phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data; and
      
      quadrature phase shift dekeying the formatted overhead data.
  - 163. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to receive the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data by:
    - receiving the formatted overhead data on a first communication path; and
      
      receiving the formatted payload data on a second communication path.
  - 164. The apparatus of claim 163, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to process at least one of:
    - synchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data such that the formatted overhead data is associated with the formatted payload data; and
      
      asynchronously receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data to the target, wherein the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data include an identifier to associate the formatted overhead data with the formatted payload data.
  - 165. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to receive the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by:
    - receiving the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data in a frame.
  - 166. The apparatus of claim 151, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to receive the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data by at least one of:
    - monitoring at least one communication path for the formatted payload data and the formatted overhead data;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data in an assigned time frame;
      
      receiving the formatted overhead data and the formatted payload data at an assigned frequency; and
      
      receiving instructions to monitor the at least one communication path from a controller.

167. An apparatus for receiving data within a network, the apparatus comprises:
- processing module; and
  
  memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
  
  receive a formatted data unit that includes formatted overhead data and formatted payload data;
  
  deformat the formatted payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on a data formatting convention to produce retrieved payload data;
  
  wherein the instructions that deformat the formatted payload data include instructions that filter the formatted overhead data from the formatted data unit to produce the retrieved payload data; and
  
  deformat the formatted overhead data using the data formatting convention to produce retrieved overhead data; and
  
  logically combine the retrieved overhead data and the retrieved payload data to produce a retrieved data unit.
- View Dependent Claims (168, 169, 170, 171, 172)
- - 168. The apparatus of claim 167, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - decoding the formatted overhead data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel decoding, pulse position demodulation, pulse amplitude demodulation, amplitude shift dekeying, and phase shift dekeying to produce the retrieved overhead data.
  - 169. The apparatus of claim 167, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted payload data by:
    - decoding the filtered payload data based on at least one of;
      
      multilevel decoding, block decoding, nB/mB decoding, non return to zero decoding, and Manchester decoding, where n<
      
      m, to produce the retrieved payload data.
  - 170. The apparatus of claim 167, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - removing idle data from the retrieved overhead data to produced overhead data.
  - 171. The apparatus of claim 167, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - identifying control data within the retrieved overhead data.
  - 172. The apparatus of claim 167, wherein the memory further comprises operation instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - receive a formatted data unit that includes the formatted overhead data, formatted datagram overhead data, and formatted datagram payload data;
      
      deformat the formatted datagram payload data utilizing the formatted overhead data based on the data formatting convention to produce retrieved datagram payload data;
      
      deformat the formatted datagram overhead data using the data formatting convention to produce retrieved datagram overhead data; and
      
      logically combine the retrieved overhead data, the retrieved datagram overhead data, and the retrieved datagram payload data to produce the retrieved data unit.

173. A method for transceiving data within an internetworking unit, the method comprises:
- receiving data that is formatted in accordance with a protocol of a first network;
  
  converting format of the data from the first network protocol to a local protocol;
  
  wherein the converting the format of the data into the local protocol further includes,formatting payload data of the data using a first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data; and
  
  formatting overhead data of the data using a second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data;
  
  wherein formatting of the payload data and overhead data includes modulating the formatted payload data on the formatted overhead data to produce the data;
  
  processing the data in the local protocol to produce processed data; and
  
  converting format of the processed data from the local protocol to a protocol of a second network.
- View Dependent Claims (174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181)
- - 174. The method of claim 173 further comprises:
    - transmitting the formatted payload data and formatted overhead data over a same path within the internetworking unit.
  - 175. The method of claim 173, wherein the formatting of the payload data further comprisesencoding the payload data.
  - 176. The method of claim 173, wherein the formatting of the overhead data further comprisesencoding the overhead data.
  - 177. The method of claim 173, wherein the formatting of the overhead data and the payload data further comprises:
    - encoding the overhead data to produce encoded overhead data.
  - 178. The method of claim 173, wherein the converting the format of the processed data further comprises:
    - deformatting the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to recapture the payload data; and
      
      deformatting the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to recapture the overhead data.
  - 179. The method of claim 173, wherein the converting the format of the processed data further comprises:
    - deformatting the formatted payload data using a third transmission format convention to recapture the payload data, wherein the first transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the first network and the third transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the second network; and
      
      deformatting the formatted overhead data using a fourth transmission format convention to recapture the overhead data, wherein the second transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the first network and the fourth transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the second network.
  - 180. The method of claim 179, wherein the deformatting the formatted overhead data further comprises:
    - reconstructing the overhead data in accordance with the protocol of the second network.
  - 181. The method of claim 173, wherein the processing further comprises at least one of:
    - switching the data to at least one port of the internetworking unit to produce the processed data; and
      
      modifying overhead data of the data based on routing of the data to produce the processed data.

182. An apparatus for transceiving data within an internetworking unit, the apparatus comprises:
- a processing module; and
  
  a memory coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
  
  receive data that is formatted in accordance with a protocol of a first network;
  
  convert format of the data from the first network protocol to a local protocol;
  
  wherein the instructions that convert the format of the data into the local protocol include further instructions that,format payload data of the data using a first transmission format convention to produce formatted payload data;
  
  format overhead data of the data using a second transmission format convention to produce formatted overhead data; and
  
  wherein the instructions that format the payload data and overhead data include instructions that modulate the formatted payload data on the formatted overhead data to produce the data;
  
  process the data in the local protocol to produce processed data; and
  
  convert format of the processed data from the local protocol to a protocol of a second network.
- View Dependent Claims (183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189)
- - 183. The apparatus of claim 182, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:
    - transmit the formatted payload data and formatted overhead data over a same path within the internetworking unit.
  - 184. The apparatus of claim 182, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format the payload data byencoding the payload data.
  - 185. The apparatus of claim 182, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to format of the overhead data byencoding the overhead data.
  - 186. The apparatus of claim 184, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to convert the format of the processed data by:
    - deformatting the formatted payload data using the first transmission format convention to recapture the payload data; and
      
      deformatting the formatted overhead data using the second transmission format convention to recapture the overhead data.
  - 187. The apparatus of claim 182, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to convert the format of the processed data by:
    - deformatting the formatted payload data using a third transmission format convention to recapture the payload data, wherein the first transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the first network and the third transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the second network; and
      
      deformatting the formatted overhead data using a fourth transmission format convention to recapture the overhead data, wherein the second transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the first network and the fourth transmission format convention corresponds to the protocol of the second network.
  - 188. The apparatus of claim 187, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to deformat the formatted overhead data by:
    - reconstructing the overhead data in accordance with the protocol of the second network.
  - 189. The apparatus of claim 182, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to process the data by at least one of:
    - switching the data to at least one port of the internetworking unit to produce the processed data; and
      
      modifying overhead data of the data based on routing of the data to produce the processed data.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Current Assignee
Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
Original Assignee
Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
Inventors
Rokhsaz, Shahriar, Lu, Jinghui, Robinson, Moises E.
Primary Examiner(s)
LEE, CHI HO A

Application Number

US10/047,368
Time in Patent Office

2,031 Days
Field of Search

None
US Class Current

370/465
CPC Class Codes

H04L 12/5692   Selection among different n...

H04L 67/2895   Intermediate processing fun...

H04L 67/56   Provisioning of proxy servi...

H04L 67/565   Conversion or adaptation of...

Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network

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Abstract

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191 Claims

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Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a micro-area network

First Claim

1 Assignment

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0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

24 Citations

191 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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