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EP0074865A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Expandable and contractible local area network system

Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1982-07-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-07-30
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Abstract

Abstract This disclosure relates to a system and method for the synchronization of variable-length messages being transmitted between stations of a local area contention network where the messages are made up of a variable number of fixed-length packets. This sytem is adapted for automatic address assignment of different stations of the network so that the network may be expanded or contracted by adding stations and removing stations respectively. In this manner, a very reliable network is provided in that the failure of any particular station does not interfere with the functioning of the other stations in the network or the network itself. In addition, the system includes provision for associating various server stations with a given procedure so that a client station may broadcast a request for a procedure and corresponding server stations will send the response to the client station containing the network identification of the server station. If two or more stations contain the particular procedure called for, the first one to respond to the client station is selected.

Inventors

  • 👤 David Michael Bryant
  • 👤 Ryn Christopher Corbeil
  • 👤 Michael Alexander Malcolm
  • 👤 Lawrence Douglas Rogers
  • 👤 Donald Reid Thompson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 10:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F12/00; G06F12/02; G06F12/06; G06F12/0646; G06F12/0669; G06F13/00; G06F13/38; G06F13/42; G06F13/4204; G06F13/4208; G06F13/4213; H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/40; H04L12/407; H04L12/413; H04L69/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 99 words
A station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, said a station comprising: address selection means for selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting means for transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; and receiving means for receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 99 words
A station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, said a station comprising: address selection means for selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting means for transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; and receiving means for receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to the sum of said selected address and a finite number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to said selected address when no other station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 106 words
A station according to Claim 1 further including: random number selection means to select a random number in a range sufficiently large to insure that the probability of said random number and said selected address is insignificant; said transmitting means being adapted to transmit an information packet containing said random number to a station having an address which is the sum of said selected address and a finite number; said address selection means being adapted to select a new random address when said another station having said address, which is a said sum, returns an information packet with a number different than said selected random number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A station according to Claim 4 further including: address setting means to set said a station's address to said selected address when said returned number is the same as said transmitted random number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 82 words
In a station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, the method comprising: selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; and selecting a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 82 words
In a station in a communications network including a communications channel for the transmission of packets of information, and a plurality of stations coupled to said channel, said stations being adapted to implement different processes, the method comprising: selecting a random address from a range of permissible addresses; transmitting an information packet to another station having said selected address; receiving an acknowledgment from said another station; and selecting a new random address if said another station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: setting said a station's address to the sum of said selected address and a finite number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: setting said a station's address to said selected address when no other station acknowledges receipt of said information packet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 89 words
A method according to Claim 6 further including: selecting a random number in a range sufficiently large to insure that the probability of said random number and said selected address is insignificant; transmitting an information packet containing said random number to a station having an address which is the sum of said selected address and a finite number; and selecting a new random address when said another station having said address, which is a said sum, returns an information packet with a number different than said selected random number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method according to Claim 9 further including: setting said a station's address to said selected address when said returned number is the same as said transmitted random number.

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