Patent · US Expired

Dual master implied token communication system

US4988990A · kind A · utility

134Cited by
6References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 26, 1989
Grant dateJan 29, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 26, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG08C19/02
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A pair of master units share a common communication link to communicate with one or more slave units. Each slave unit transmits a message only in response to a message from one of the master units. When an initial transmission request is received by a master unit, it monitors the communication link and only initiates transmission of a message when the link has been quiet for a link quiet time period. After completing a transmission of a message, the master unit waits a link grant time period before transmitting again to permit the other master unit an opportunity to transmit a message if it desires. Synchronization of the two master units, therefore, is achieved quickly and with minimum overhead.

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