Distributed ethernet hub
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A distributed network hub, comprising:
- at least one transmit line;
first and second transmitters, each coupled to a different end of said transmit line, and each for transmitting data on said transmit line, the first and second transmitters each having a respective separate communication link associated therewith; and
each transmitter including circuits for avoiding a simultaneous transmission of data on said transmit line, and including a respective buffer memory for temporarily storing received data before transmission thereof on said transmit line, and each transmitter determining an idle status on said transmit line and respective communication link in avoiding a simultaneous transmission of data on said transmit line.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for multiplexing high speed computed data with digitized voice signals onto a fiber optic cable for transfer to a local central office. The data packets of a number of computers are networked by way of a distributed hub that extends to residences, offices, apartments, etc. The data packets are switched outside the switching fabric of a local central office and routed to the internet or elsewhere. Command signals that are for accessing the internet are transmitted and received as 10 MHz Ethernet data packets on the distributed hub.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A distributed network hub, comprising:
-
at least one transmit line; first and second transmitters, each coupled to a different end of said transmit line, and each for transmitting data on said transmit line, the first and second transmitters each having a respective separate communication link associated therewith; and each transmitter including circuits for avoiding a simultaneous transmission of data on said transmit line, and including a respective buffer memory for temporarily storing received data before transmission thereof on said transmit line, and each transmitter determining an idle status on said transmit line and respective communication link in avoiding a simultaneous transmission of data on said transmit line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An optical interface unit, comprising:
-
an optical duplexer operable to transmit signals to and receive signals from an optical fiber over a communication link; a gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from the optical duplexer, the gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from a transmit line, the transmit line being coupled to other gate array units, the gate array unit operable to avoid simultaneous transmission of data with the other gate array units on the transmit line, the gate array unit operable to determine an idle status of both the transmit line and the communication link to avoid simultaneous transmission of data with the other gate array units on the transmit line.
-
-
12. An optical interface unit, comprising:
-
an optical duplexer operable to transmit signals to and receive signals from an optical fiber; a gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from the optical duplexer, the gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from a transmit line, the transmit line being coupled to other gate array units, the gate array unit operable to avoid simultaneous transmission of data with the other gate array units on the transmit line; wherein the gate array unit is operable to separately receive voice signals, digital signals, and data packets, the gate array unit operable to multiplex the voice signals, the digital signals, and the data packets for transport to the optical duplexer, the optical duplexer operable to transmit the multiplexed voice signals, digital signals, and data packets over the optical fiber.
-
-
13. An optical interface unit, comprising:
-
an optical duplexer operable to transmit signals to and receive signals from an optical fiber; a gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from the optical duplexer, the gate array unit operable to provide data to and receive data from a transmit line, the transmit line being coupled to other gate array units, the gate array unit operable to avoid simultaneous transmission of data with the other gate array units on the transmit line; wherein the gate array unit is operable to receive electrical signals from the optical duplexer corresponding to optical signals received from the optical fiber, the electrical signals including voice signals, digital signals, and data packets, the gate array unit operable to extract the voice signals, digital signals, and data packets from the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for data transmission, comprising:
-
determining an idle status of an input/output line associated with a device and at least one other separate input line associated with the device; transmitting data on the input/output line in response to the input/output line and the at least one other separate input line being idle in order to avoid simultaneous transmissions thereon. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for data transmission, comprising:
-
receiving data for transmission; determining an idle status of a transmit line, the transmit line being shared by other transmit units; transmitting the data on the transmit line in response to the transmit line being idle in order to avoid simultaneous transmissions thereon; demultiplexing voice signals, digital signals, and data packets from the received data; transmitting the data packets on the transmit line; determining an idle status of a voice bus and a digital bus, the voice bus and the digital bus being separate from the transmit line and shared by other transmit units; transmitting the voice signals on the voice bus in response to the voice bus being idle in order to avoid simultaneous transmissions thereon by multiple transmit units; transmitting the digital signals on the digital bus in response to the digital bus being idle in order to avoid simultaneous transmissions thereon by multiple transmit units.
-
Specification