Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A system for controlling message transmission timing on a network by a plurality of nodes comprising: means associated with each node for sending a message having beginning and ending portions over said network; means associated with each node for providing said message signals with a variable time duration ranging between a preset maximum and a nonzero minimum; means associated with each node for receiving all messages on said network; means associated with each node for counting messages on the network from received messages to provide a repeating sequence of count values; means associated with each node for enabling the sending of messages by that node at a count value unique to that node; and means associated with each node for delaying the enablement of message sending a predetermined delay after receiving the ending portion of the message occurring in count value next preceding the count value unique to that node.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
150 words
A system for controlling message transmission timing on a network by a plurality of nodes comprising: means associated with each node for sending a message having beginning and ending portions over said network; means associated with each node for providing said message signals with a variable time duration ranging between a preset maximum and a nonzero minimum; means associated with each node for receiving all messages on said network; means associated with each node for counting messages on the network from received messages to provide a repeating sequence of count values; means associated with each node for enabling the sending of messages by that node at a count value unique to that node; and means associated with each node for delaying the enablement of message sending a predetermined delay after receiving the ending portion of the message occurring in count value next preceding the count value unique to that node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The control system of claim 1 further including means associated with each node for causing it to send a null message in lieu of other message traffic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 1 wherein means for delaying the enablement of sending of a message delays the message slightly more than a transmission delay associated with said network to insure that each node will receive messages from the various nodes with a predictable maximum time separation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 further including means for detecting the absence of a normal sequence of messages associated with each count value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 4 further including means for providing an indication of an absent node in response to detection of said absence of a normal sequence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said detecting means is operative to detect the absence of a message beginning portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 4 further including means for providing an indication of a network malfunction in response to detection of the absence of said normal sequence.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said detecting means is operative to detect the absence of a message ending portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said means for detecting the absence of a message ending portion is operative to provide said detection in response to the failure to receive an ending porition within a predetermined time period after the reception of a beginning portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said detecting means is operative to detect the reception of an ending portion after providing said malfunction indication and to commence operation of one of said delaying means and said sending means as a function of the count value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 2 wherein means are provided to separately assemble and prioritize real time and data message traffic at each node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 further including means associated with each node for incrementing the counting of messages upon detection of a starting portion of a message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 5 further including means associated with each node for incrementing the count of messages in response to said indication of an absent node.