Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A data processing system for transmitting data in frames between nodes connected via a network, the system comprising an initiator node for transmitting data frames incorporating frame sequence information through the network, and a recipient node for receiving the data frames from the network, the recipient node including a transmitting means for transmitting an acknowledgment frame to the initiator node, the initiator node being responsive to such acknowledgment frames to control the transmission of subsequent data frames, the system being characterised by: determination means in the recipient node for determining the transmission status of previous acknowledgment frames; the transmitting means being adapted to transmit an acknowledgment frame which includes the transmission status of previous acknowledgment frames to the initiator node; reception means in the initiator node for receiving the acknowledgment frame and using the transmission status in the acknowledgment frame to update the status at the initiator node of data frames the subject of previous acknowledgment frames in addition to the current data frame being acknowledged.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
A data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame sequence information is a serial number or frame count attributed to the frame of data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A data processing system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the status of previous acknowledgment frames indicates whether all preceding acknowledgment frames have been transmitted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A data processing system as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the reception means cancels any error or retransmit conditions for data frames previously acknowledged.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A data processing system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame data is transmitted over a serial data network susceptible to frame loss, delay or rearranged order upon delivery.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of operating a data processing system to transmit data in frames between nodes connected via a network, the method comprising the steps of transmitting data frames incorporating frame sequence information from an initiator node through the network, and receiving at a recipient node the data frames from the network, the recipient node transmitting an acknowledgment frame to the initiator node, and the initiator node being responsive to such acknowledgment frames to control the transmission of subsequent data frames, the method being characterised by the steps of: determining, at the recipient node, the transmission status of previous acknowledgment frames; transmitting from the recipient node an acknowledgment frame which includes the transmission status of previous acknowledgment frames to the initiator node; receiving at the initiator node the acknowledgment frame; and updating, based on the transmission status in the acknowledgment frame, the status at the initiator node of data frames the subject of previous acknowledgment frames in addition to the current data frame being acknowledged.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the frame sequence information is a serial number or frame count attributed to the frame of data.