Data communication method and system
US5432798A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 6, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jul 11, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 6, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L1/1874
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of multipoint communications utilizes a protocol in which data messages (10) sent by a primary source are multicast to a plurality of secondary receiving stations (S.sub.1 . . . S.sub.n). Each message packet contains a control field comprising a station identifier code (14) and an instruction for the specified station to acknowledge a predetermined number of messages. Each successive message packet comprises a station identifier code which differs in an alterable set cyclical sequence. Thus, acknowledgements of correct receipt of data are taken in a cycle of length L such that in a space of L messages each receiver must acknowledge at least once. In this way the primary source need only keep the L latest messages because all the stations have acknowledged correct receipt of at least up to the current message minus L. The multipoint communications method uses a protocol which can be applied to existing communications networks.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.