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EP0064818A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Data collision avoidance method

Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1982-04-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-04-16
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Abstract

Abstract A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a network. The method comprises the steps of continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer, generating a random number, and transmitting data over the communications medium (52) after a length of time which is dependent on the random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over the medium is detected. The probability of simultaneous data transmission by two or more data processing stations (50, 58) over the communications medium (52) is thereby greatly reduced.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert Arthur Couper
  • 👤 Terrance Lynn Lillie

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 23:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/36; G06F13/368; G06F13/376; H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/40; H04L12/407; H04L12/413

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a net work, characterised in that it comprises the steps of a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; and c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium is detected.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a net work, characterised in that it comprises the steps of a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; and c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium is detected.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method for communicating in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that said random number is generated so that the probability of simultaneous data transmission by two or more data processing stations (50, 58) over said medium (52) is greatly reduced.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 99 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a network, characterised in that it comprises the steps of: a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium (52) is detected; and d) generating an acknowledgement signal when the data transferred over said communications medium (52) has been successfully received.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 99 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a network, characterised in that it comprises the steps of: a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium (52) is detected; and d) generating an acknowledgement signal when the data transferred over said communications medium (52) has been successfully received.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 117 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a network, characterised it that it comprises the steps of: a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium (52) is detected; d) generating an acknowledgement signal when the data transferred over said communications medium has been successfully received; and e) retransmitting said data over said communications medium when said acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined time.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 117 words
A method for communicating among at least two data processing stations (50, 58) connected by a network, characterised it that it comprises the steps of: a) continuously monitoring a communications medium (52) to detect the presence of data transfer thereover; b) generating a random number; c) transmitting data over said communications medium (52) after a length of time dependent on said random number from the time at which the absence of data transfer over said communications medium (52) is detected; d) generating an acknowledgement signal when the data transferred over said communications medium has been successfully received; and e) retransmitting said data over said communications medium when said acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of communicating in accordance with claim 4 wherein the step of transmitting data over said communications medium occurs after said communications medium is determined to be available therefor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method of communicating in accordance with claim 1 or 2 characterised in that it comprises the step of generating an acknowledgement signal when the data transferred over said communications medium (52) has been successfully received.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method of communicating in accordance with claim 6 characterised in that it comprises the step of retransmitting said data over said communications medium when said acknowledgement signal is not received within a predetermined time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method of communicating in accordance with claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting data over said communications medium occurs after said communications medium is determined to be available therefor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE2249670A1 Cited
GB2006491A Cited

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