Thin-wire multiport repeater

Claim 2

A multiport repeater for radially interconnecting a plurality of thin-wire coaxial cables to a standard multi-drop transceiver cable in a local area network, characterized in that said repeater comprises: (a) a plurality of thin-wire interconnect ports for coupling said thin-wire coaxial cables to said repeater; (b) a transceiver interconnect port for coupling said multi-drop transceiver cable to said repeater; (c) an intra-hub interconnect port for coupling two or more repeaters together in series; wherein a packet of information, containing a preamble and data, being transmitted on a cable coupled to any of the ports is coupled to all of the other ports, said data packet containing noise and timing margins, said repeater further comprising restoring means capable of restoring said noise and timing margins.

Claim 3

The multiport repeater of claim 1, characterized in that said restoring means further comprises a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer capable of storing data input to the repeater while the preamble is being sent to all of the other ports, and detecting means capable of detecting the end of the preamble, said buffer being capable of outputting said data to all of the other ports in response to detection of said end of the preamble.

Claim 4

3 . A method for transmitting an information packet, containing a preamble and data, in a local area network having a multiport repeater employing ports for coupling a plurality of thin-wire coaxial cables and an Ethernet transceiver cable, characterized by the steps of: (a) detecting the presence of said information packet on any of said ports, storing said data in a buffer and sending said preamble to all of the other ports; (b) detecting the end or said preamble on said port whereat it was first received; (c) replicating the data on the other ports by outputting the data stored in the buffer, continuously monitoring for any collisions on any other ports, and resending said data if any collisions are monitored.

Claim 5

3 . A method for transmitting an information packet, containing a preamble and data, in a local area network having a multiport repeater employing ports for coupling a plurality of thin-wire coaxial cables and an Ethernet transceiver cable, characterized by the steps of: (a) detecting the presence of said information packet on any of said ports, storing said data in a buffer and sending said preamble to all of the other ports; (b) detecting the end or said preamble on said port whereat it was first received; (c) replicating the data on the other ports by outputting the data stored in the buffer, continuously monitoring for any collisions on any other ports, and resending said data if any collisions are monitored.

Claim 6

4 . A local area network having a standby mode, characterized in that the local area network (LAN) comprises: (a) a standard transceiver cable for transmitting information packets over the LAN, (b) a first multiport repeater having a standard transceiver cable port, a plurality of thin-wire ports and an intra repeater interconnect port, (c) a second multiport repeater, operating in said standby mode, having a second standard transceiver cable port, a second plurality of thin-wire ports and a second intra repeater interconnect port, (d) a first plurality of thin-wire cables for transmission of information packets, wherein said first plurality of cables are coupled to said first plurality of ports, (e) a second plurality of thin-wire cables for transmission of information packets, wherein said second plurality of cables are coupled to said second plurality of ports, (t) an intra repeater interconnect cable having one end coupled to said first interconnect port and the other end coupled to said second interconnect port, wherein said standard transceiver cable transmits information packets, said transceiver cable is coupled to said first repeater transceiver cable port and said second repeater transceiver port, said first repeater is capable of outputting all information packets inputted into either the standard repeater port or any of the plurality of thin-wire ports to all of the ports except the port to which the information packet was inputted, said second repeater is capable of monitoring said outputted information over said intra repeater interconnect port and said information transmitted on said standard transceiver cable, and said second repeater is employed for automatic failure recovery in said standby mode, said failure recovery occurring when said second repeater monitors information packet transmission at said standard transceiver port which is not repeated at said intra repeater interconnect port.

Claim 7

4 . A local area network having a standby mode, characterized in that the local area network (LAN) comprises: (a) a standard transceiver cable for transmitting information packets over the LAN, (b) a first multiport repeater having a standard transceiver cable port, a plurality of thin-wire ports and an intra repeater interconnect port, (c) a second multiport repeater, operating in said standby mode, having a second standard transceiver cable port, a second plurality of thin-wire ports and a second intra repeater interconnect port, (d) a first plurality of thin-wire cables for transmission of information packets, wherein said first plurality of cables are coupled to said first plurality of ports, (e) a second plurality of thin-wire cables for transmission of information packets, wherein said second plurality of cables are coupled to said second plurality of ports, (t) an intra repeater interconnect cable having one end coupled to said first interconnect port and the other end coupled to said second interconnect port, wherein said standard transceiver cable transmits information packets, said transceiver cable is coupled to said first repeater transceiver cable port and said second repeater transceiver port, said first repeater is capable of outputting all information packets inputted into either the standard repeater port or any of the plurality of thin-wire ports to all of the ports except the port to which the information packet was inputted, said second repeater is capable of monitoring said outputted information over said intra repeater interconnect port and said information transmitted on said standard transceiver cable, and said second repeater is employed for automatic failure recovery in said standby mode, said failure recovery occurring when said second repeater monitors information packet transmission at said standard transceiver port which is not repeated at said intra repeater interconnect port.

Claim 8

A local area network characterized in that the local area network comprises: (a) a plurality of multiport repeaters, said multiport repeaters each having an intra repeater interconnect port, (b) a plurality of intra repeater interconnect cables, each having two ends, the first end having a male connector for coupling into an interconnect port, and the second end having both a male connector and a female connector, said male connector of said second end coupling into the interconnect port of another repeater and said female connector of said second end being available for coupling with another interconnect cable such that a plurality of multiport repeaters can be coupled together in a daisy chain fashion.

Claim 9

A local area network characterized in that the local area network comprises: (a) a plurality of multiport repeaters, said multiport repeaters each having an intra repeater interconnect port, (b) a plurality of intra repeater interconnect cables, each having two ends, the first end having a male connector for coupling into an interconnect port, and the second end having both a male connector and a female connector, said male connector of said second end coupling into the interconnect port of another repeater and said female connector of said second end being available for coupling with another interconnect cable such that a plurality of multiport repeaters can be coupled together in a daisy chain fashion.