Broadcast station locator for a local area network
US5048009A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 1989 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY04S40/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for determining the location of a broadcasting station in a local area network communications system such as Ethernet that is arranged in a bus topology. An echo module, positioned at one end of a cable, receives a packet broadcast by a station and broadcasts a distinctive echo pulse on the cable during the interframe gap or at another chosen time. A processor module positioned at a second end of the cable receives the originally broadcast packet and the echo pulse, notes the times of receipt t.sub.1 and t.sub.2, respectively, of these signals, and determines the temporal distance T.sub.1 from the broadcasting station to the echo module by the equation EQU T.sub.1 =(t.sub.2 -t.sub.1 -.DELTA.t.sub.dp)/2, where .DELTA.t.sub.dp is a time delay associated with validation of the echo pulse.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.