EP0429054A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data representation and protocol
Assignee: Digital Equipment Corp
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Filing: 1990-11-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-11-20
Abstract
Abstract A data representation and protocol are provided to interface two networks. A plurality of information units to be transmitted from one network to another are formatted into a variable size block in accordance with the protocol. Each block contains a header field storing a total information unit count and a control information unit count. The remainder of the block stores the actual information itself, both control and data, in consecutive byte locations, with the actual control information located at the end of the block. The block can then be sent to another network for processing. A device in the other network need only reference the block header to determine whether the information contained in the block is control or data. This speeds the processing of large quantities of either all data information and/or control information.
Inventors
- 👤 Samuel Tarpley Adams
- 👤 Mahendra Jathenand Kaycee
- 👤 Michael Jeffrey Heffler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/90; H04L49/9023; H04L69/00; H04L69/08; H04L69/085; H04L69/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of transmitting data and control information between two networks, the method comprising the steps of: a) generating information units from one of the networks including control information units and data information units; b) forming the information units into a block in the order in which said information units are generated; c) determining for each information unit generated whether it is a control information unit or a data information unit; d) upon determining a data information unit after a preceding control information unit, ending the formation of said block with said preceding control information unit; e) sending the block to the other of said networks.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of: f) repeating steps a), b), c), d), and e) for all of the information units to be transmitted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of forming the information units comprises the steps of: a) forming a header field for said block; and b) accounting in the header field for the number of each type of information unit contained in the block.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the step of accounting comprises the steps of: a) storing the count of the total number of information units in the block; and b) storing the count of the total number of control information units in the block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of: g) receiving the block in the other of said networks; h) comparing in the other of said networks the count of the total number of information units with the count of the total number of control information units to indicate the total number of data information units in the block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein the one network is an n-bit network and the other network is an m-bit network, m being equal to n+1, said plurality of information units forming the block each having n-bits; further comprising the steps of: h) receiving the block in the m-bit network; i) checking the header field to determine, in the order in which said information units were generated whether each information unit is a data information unit or a control information unit; j) appending an m th bit having a first value to said n-bit information units that are data information units; k) appending an m th bit having a second value to said n-bit information units that are control information units; and l) providing a serial stream of the appended information units for the m-bit network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a system including a plurality of clients of one network coupled to a server receiving input from another network, a method comprising the steps of: a) generating information units from one of the networks including control information units and data information units; b) forming the information units into a block in the order in which said information units are generated; c) determining for each information unit generated whether it is a control information unit or a data information unit; d) upon determining a data information unit after a preceding control information unit, ending the formation of said block with said preceding control information unit; e) sending the block to the other of said networks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming the information units is carried out in the server.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein the step of forming the information units is carried out in one of the clients.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein one of said networks is a single computer device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer system, comprising: an m-bit network; an n-bit network including at least one device; a server coupling the m-bit network to the n-bit network, and including: a memory; means for receiving and storing information units from the m-bit network in the memory, said information units including control information units and data information units; means for forming the information units into a block in the order in which they are received in the memory; means for determining whether each information unit received is a control information unit or a data information unit and means for determining a data information unit after a preceding control information unit; means for ending the formation of said block with said preceding control information unit; and means for sending the block to the n-bit network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 11 wherein the means for forming the information units comprises means for forming a header field for said block.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system according to claim 12 further comprising: means for receiving the block in the n-bit network; first means for counting the total number of information units in the block; second means for counting the total number of control information units in the block; and means for comparing the total number of information units with the total number of control information units to indicate the total number of data information units in the blocks.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 13 wherein one of said m-bit or n-bit networks is a single computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
A server for interfacing between an m-bit network and an n-bit network, comprising: a memory; means for receiving and storing information units from the m-bit network in the memory, said information units including control information units and data information units; means for forming the information units into a block in the order in which they are received in the memory; means for determining whether each information unit received is a control information unit or a data information unit; means for determining a data information unit after a preceding control information unit; and means for ending the formation of said block with said preceding control information unit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A server according to claim 15 wherein the means for forming the information units comprises means for forming a header field for said block.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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