Local area network with carrier sense collision avoidance
First Claim
1. A communication medium for transferring data between a plurality of data processing devices ("agents") including a sending agent and a receiving agent, comprising:
- sensing means coupled to said sending agent for therein if said medium is currently carrying data of another agent and is thereby in use;
timing means coupled to said sending agent for timing a first predetermined waiting period once said medium is idle and available for use;
first random number generating means coupled to said sending agent for generating a random number within a predefined range corresponding to a second waiting period prior to transmittng data on said communication medium to said receiving agent;
first signal generation means coupled to said sending agent for generating a first signal and transmitting said signal to said receiving agent;
signal receiving means coupled to said sending agent for receiving a signal transmitted from said receiving agent to said sending agent within a second predetermined time (IFG) after said sending agent has transmitted said first signal;
data transmission means coupled to said sending agent for transmitting data to said receiving agent within said IFG time after receiving said signal from said receiving agent;
whereby data is transferred between said sending and receiving agents coupled to said communication medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A local area network is disclosed including apparatus and methods for transferring data between a plurality of data processing resources ("agents") coupled to a cable. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of agents are coupled to a common cable for data transmission and reception. An agent newly coupled to the cable dynamically assigns itself a unique address on the cable to which other agents may send data. Once an agent has been assigned a final address, it may then transmit to, and receive data from, other agents on the cable. An agent desiring to send data to a receiving agent follows a three step handshake, wherein the sending agent transmits an "RTS" signal and within a predetermined time must receive a "CTS"signal from the receiving agent. The sending agent then transmits a data frame within a predetermined time after the CTS signal is received. The failure to detect a return CTS signal within the predetermined time denotes a collision condition. Re-transmission is attempted using a linear back off method which is adjusted based on previous cable traffic history.
136 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A communication medium for transferring data between a plurality of data processing devices ("agents") including a sending agent and a receiving agent, comprising:
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sensing means coupled to said sending agent for therein if said medium is currently carrying data of another agent and is thereby in use; timing means coupled to said sending agent for timing a first predetermined waiting period once said medium is idle and available for use; first random number generating means coupled to said sending agent for generating a random number within a predefined range corresponding to a second waiting period prior to transmittng data on said communication medium to said receiving agent; first signal generation means coupled to said sending agent for generating a first signal and transmitting said signal to said receiving agent; signal receiving means coupled to said sending agent for receiving a signal transmitted from said receiving agent to said sending agent within a second predetermined time (IFG) after said sending agent has transmitted said first signal; data transmission means coupled to said sending agent for transmitting data to said receiving agent within said IFG time after receiving said signal from said receiving agent; whereby data is transferred between said sending and receiving agents coupled to said communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for transferring data on a data communication medium between a plurality of data processing devices ("agents"), including a sending agent and a receiving agent, comprising the steps of:
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sensing said medium to determine if said medium is currently carrying data of another agent and is thereby in use; waiting a first predetermined time after sensing that said medium is idle and available for use; generating a random number within a predefined range corresponding to an additional waiting time prior to transmitting data on said communication medium to said receiving agent; transmitting a first signal to said receiving agent coupled to said communication medium; receiving a signal transmitted from said receiving agent to said sending agent within a second predetermined time (IFG) after said sending agent has transmitted said first signal; transmitting data to said receiving agent within said IFG time after receiving said signal from said receiving agent; whereby data is transferred between said sending and receiving agents coupled to said communication medium. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A data processing device coupled to a communications medium having a number of other devices coupled thereto, the devices each responding to an address, the medium for transferring data between the device and one of the other devices wherein the device is addressable by the other devices coupled to the medium in response to a unique self assigned address, the self assigned address determined by the device transmitting a first tentative address on the medium and, if no other device responds, assigning the tentative address as its address, if another device does respond transmitting other tentative addresses until one is not responded to and assigning that tentative address as its address.
Specification