Patent · US Expired

Access unit for local area network

US5179291A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
5References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1990
Grant dateJan 12, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L12/42
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An access unit for a local area network with loop topology includes a pair of connectors, a relay circuit, a pair of transformers, a direct current signal extraction circuit, a constant current circuit, a controller, and a coil. With the above arrangement, when a workstation connected to the access unit generates a composite signal having a DC signal, used for driving the relay circuit, superposed onto an AC signal for data transfer, only the DC signal component is extracted by the direct current signal extraction circuit to be inputted into the controller of the access unit. The relay circuit of the access unit is then operated. Thus, the signal outputted from the workstation, the composite signal having the DC signal superposed on the AC signal, is applied to the concentrator, so that the DC signal contained within the composite signal activates the relay contact in the concentrator. The DC signal superposed on the AC signal is outputted from the workstation and accordingly activates both the relay contact in the access unit and the relay contact connected thereto in the concentrator.

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