Patent · US Expired

Network synchronous data distribution system

US5280477A · kind A · utility

94Cited by
5References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 17, 1992
Grant dateJan 18, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 17, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2012/6459
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating synchronous and asynchronous data among multiple devices which are connected by a common network or a set of connected networks using a network communications protocol which provides deterministic, bounded latency. Transmitting and receiving devices communicate asynchronous data signals using data packets in accordance with the communications protocol in use by the system. If synchronous data signals must be communicated between two devices the transmitting device sends asynchronous data signals to the receiving device(s) to indicate that synchronous data will follow, and to inform the receiving device(s) of the transmitting device's address. The receiving device sets up a message filter which looks for and accepts data packets bearing a destination address field value equal to the address of the transmitting device. The transmitting device converts the synchronous data into one or more data packets bearing a destination address field value equal to the transmitting device's own address, and transmits the data packets over the network. The receiving device receives the data packets and reassembles them back into a synchronous data signal. Op…

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