Multiport/multidrop computer communications

Claim 3

A method of controlling communication as defined in claim 1 wherein detecting that an invitation to respond has been transmitted by at least one of the plurality of central stations includes monitoring outbound transmissions from the plurality of central stations.

Claim 4

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of central stations are of the type which generate a request to send signal and detecting that an invitation to respond has been transmitted by at least one of the plurality of central stations includes monitoring the request to send signals from the plurality of central stations.

Claim 5

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein detecting that an invitation to respond has been transmitted by at least one of the plurality of central stations includes monitoring for line idle condition in the outbound transmissions from the plurality of central stations.

Claim 6

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein selecting one central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond includes prioritizing the plurality of central stations and selecting the highest priority central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond.

Claim 7

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein selecting one central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond includes establishing a rotating priority among the plurality of central stations and selecting the next central station in the rotating priority that has transmitted an invitation to respond.

Claim 8

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein selecting one of the plurality of central stations that has transmitted an invitation to respond includes selecting a second central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond if the first selected central station does not receive a response within a pre-selected timer limit.

Claim 9

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein signaling an indication of the selected central station includes sending a request to send simulation on the outbound lines of the communication facility.

Claim 10

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 8 wherein the signaling comprises request to send simulation on the individual ports of multiplexing multiport modems connecting the stations with the communication facility.

Claim 11

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein signaling an indication of the selected central station includes transmitting a signal designating a port of multiplexing multiport modems connecting the remote stations with the communication facility at the remote locations and directing the signal to a spare port of the remote modems.

Claim 12

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein signaling an indication of the selected central station includes transmitting the signal on a secondary channel of the communications facility.

Claim 13

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 11 wherein the secondary channel is a sub-carrier frequency carried on the communications facility.

Claim 14

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 11 wherein the secondary channel is a secondary data channel.

Claim 15

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein signaling an indication of the selected central station is carried out during an interruption in multiplexing outbound transmissions from the plurality of central stations.

Claim 16

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 1 wherein permitting the remote station to respond includes combining a signal from the remote station indicating that it is ready to respond with the signal indicating the selected central station.

Claim 17

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 15 wherein the signal from the remote station is a request to send signal.

Claim 18

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 2 wherein selecting one central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond includes prioritizing the plurality of central stations and selecting the highest priority central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond.

Claim 19

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 3 wherein selecting one central station that has transmitted a request to respond includes prioritizing the plurality of central stations and selecting the highest priority central station that has transmitted an invitation to respond.

Claim 20

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 18 wherein signaling an indication of the selected central station includes sending a request to send simulation on the outbound lines of the communication facility.

Claim 21

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 19 wherein permitting the remote station receiving an invitation to respond to use the communication facility includes combining the signal indicating the selected central station with a signal generated by the remote station indicating it is ready to send to the selected central station.

Claim 22

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 19 wherein the signal from the remote station is a request to send signal.

Claim 23

A method of controlling communications as defined in claim 20 wherein selecting one central station that has transmitted to respond includes selecting a second if the first selected central station does not receive a response within a pre-selected timer limit.

Claim 26

A method of controlling communication as defined in claim 23 wherein detecting whether one or more of the central stations desires to receive a return communication from one of its respective remote stations includes monitoring outbound transmissions from the central stations.

Claim 27

A multiport/multidrop communications system for permitting and controlling communication over a single transmission facility between a plurality of central stations and a plurality of remote stations respectively associated with each of the central stations, the communications system comprising: (A) a central multiport modem having each of the plurality of central stations connected to a respective port thereof; (B) a plurality of compatible remote multiport modems connected with the central modem by the single transmission facility, the remote stations respectively associated with each of the plurality of central stations being connected to corresponding ports of the remote modems; (C) means associated with the central modem for detecting which one or more of the central stations desires a response from one of its associated remote stations; (D) means associated with the central modem for selecting the one or more central stations that has been detected as desiring a response from a remote station to receive inbound transmission over the single transmission facility; (E) means for signaling to the remote modems which central station was selected to receive a response; and (F) means permitting transmission from a remote station associated with the selected central station through the corresponding port of the remote modem to which the remote station is connected in response to a signalled indication of the selected one of the plurality of central stations.

Claim 28

A multiport/multidrop communications system for permitting and controlling communication over a single transmission facility between a plurality of central stations and a plurality of remote stations respectively associated with each of the central stations, the communications system comprising: (A) a central multiport modem having each of the plurality of central stations connected to a respective port thereof; (B) a plurality of compatible remote multiport modems connected with the central modem by the single transmission facility, the remote stations respectively associated with each of the plurality of central stations being connected to corresponding ports of the remote modems; (C) means associated with the central modem for detecting which one or more of the central stations desires a response from one of its associated remote stations; (D) means associated with the central modem for selecting the one or more central stations that has been detected as desiring a response from a remote station to receive inbound transmission over the single transmission facility; (E) means for signaling to the remote modems which central station was selected to receive a response; and (F) means permitting transmission from a remote station associated with the selected central station through the corresponding port of the remote modem to which the remote station is connected in response to a signalled indication of the selected one of the plurality of central stations.

Claim 29

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 25 wherein the means for detecting which one or more central stations desires a response comprises means monitoring outbound transmissions from the central stations.

Claim 30

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 26 wherein the monitoring means monitors for a line idle condition in the outbound transmissions from the central stations.

Claim 31

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 26 wherein the monitoring means monitors for a line idle code in the outbound transmissions from the central stations.

Claim 32

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 26 wherein the monitoring means monitors data transmissions from the central stations for invitations to respond.

Claim 33

A mulitport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 25 wherein the means for selecting one of the central stations includes means establishing a priority among the central stations and for selecting the highest priority central station desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations.

Claim 34

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 30 wherein the means for selecting a central station includes a timer and is adapted to select the next highest priority central station that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations if the first selected central station does not receive a response within the timer interval.

Claim 35

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 30 wherein the means for selecting one of the central stations that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations includes means monitoring inbound transmissions to the first selected central station and selecting the next highest priority central station that has been detected as desiring a response when inbound data transmission to the first selected central station is complete.

Claim 36

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 25 wherein the means for selecting one of the central stations that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations includes means monitoring inbound transmissions to the first selected central station and selecting the next highest priority central station that has been detected as desiring a response when inbound data transmission to the first selected central station is complete.

Claim 37

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 25 wherein the means for selecting one of the central stations that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations includes means establishing a rotating priority among the central stations and is adapted to select the next central station that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations according to the rotating priority.

Claim 38

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 25 wherein the means for detecting which one or more central stations desires a response from one of its associated remote stations includes means monitoring request to send signals from the central stations.

Claim 39

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 35 wherein the means for signaling to the remote modems which central station was selected includes means associated with the central modem for simulating a carrier drop signal at the remote modems.

Claim 40

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 36 wherein the means permitting transmission from a remote station associated with the selected central station is logic means combining a request to send signal from the remote station desiring to respond with the simulated carrier drop signal.

Claim 41

A multiport/multidrop communication system as defined in claim 36 wherein the means for selecting one central station that has been detected as desiring a response from a remote station to receive inbound transmission operates to select the next central station that has been detected as desiring a response from a remote station when the request to send signal from the previously selected central station indicates its inbound transmission is complete.

Claim 42

A multiport/multidrop communications system as defined in claim 36 wherein the means for selecting a central station that has been detected as desiring a response from a remote station includes a timer and is adapted to select the next highest priority central station that has been detected as desiring a response from one of its associated remote stations if the first selected central station does not receive a response within the timer interval.

Claim 43

A multiport/multidrop communication facility as defined in claim 25 wherein the communications facility is a full duplex telephone line facility.