Patent · US Expired

Generic backplane system which is configurable to serve different network access methods simultaneously

US5530842A · kind A · utility

65Cited by
13References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1994
Grant dateJun 25, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S370/908
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A local net area network, or LAN, configuration is provided with a multiple generic LAN channel architecture which can be logically and dynamically changed. The configuration control can be applied to each module of the network and to each port of a module of a LAN hub. The architecture provides multiple LAN protocols to be used simultaneously, as needed, through protocol specific functions. Industry standard protocol such as: token bus, token ring, and fiber distributed data interface (FDDI), can be implemented using the generic channel architecture and its characteristics providing respective network functions. The architecture also provides a digital collision detection method and provides information necessary for precise network statistics monitoring. The token passing ring architecture provides a logical ring formation within the generic channel. A token passing bus architecture uses modified Ethernet.TM. architecture, and a hub management provides control for the generic multichannel and the LAN management provides protocol dependent network management. The architecture provided allows multiple hub management entities via hub mastership arbitration to provide a unique master…

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