Patent · US Expired

Communications systems

US4933935A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
14References
53Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 1989
Grant dateJun 12, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L47/29
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A communications network comprises a plurality of stations which can communicate via a ring. Information is transmitted from one station to another in message blocks which circulate around the ring. The message blocks include control bits and a protocol is employed which ensures that no one station can monopolize the available message blocks. Also described is a technique which allows each station independently to assess the current spare capacity of the network. A link multiplexer may be used in conjunction with rings and incorporates a similar protocol. It provides access to a link to queues of message blocks provided queue thresholds have not been reached.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.