Synchronous network for digital media streams
US6611537B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 26, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2012/2849
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A network adapter for a synchronous logical ring network operates on existing physical twisted-pair telephone topologies. Information propagates around the logical ring, reaching every device on each revolution around the network. Network devices are full-duplex, transmitting and receiving information on every clock cycle. Network devices arbitrate to be elected the network clock device. By synchronizing all network devices to a single reference clock, and providing fixed frames of information propagating around the network at consistent time intervals, the logical ring network ensures that information propagates from one device to another at consistent time intervals. The fixed-length frames are divided into two independent streams: a data stream for the distribution of real-time continuous digital media streams; and a system command stream for the distribution of system commands.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.