US5293375A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Repeater interface controller with a partitioning port state machine
Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1992-08-14
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Granted: 1994-03-08
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Expires: 2012-08-14
Abstract
Abstract A repeater interface controller receives a data packet at one of a plurality of port nodes from an associated segment of a local area network. The port nodes determine a priority port node, if more than one port node receives a data packet at substantially the same time, and transmit the data packet from the priority port node to a central node. The central node receives the data packet, repeats the data packet from the priority node, and transmits the repeated data packet to the non-priority port nodes. Each non-priority port node receives the repeated data packet and transmits the repeated data onto its associated segment. Each port node further includes a partitioning port state machine which monitors its associated segment and partitions the segment from the repeater interface controller when the partitioning port state machine detects a collision in a predetermined number of consecutive data packets. The partitioning port state machine detects collisions in each packet from a beginning of the data packet until an end of the data packet.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A. Moorwood
- 👤 Charan J. Singh
- 👤 Dennis E. Holland
- 👤 Daniel J. Cimino
- 👤 Howard Q. Vo
- 👤 Vickie M. Yeung
- 👤 David Crosbie
- 👤 Haresh K. Shah
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/44; H04L12/46; H04L43/00; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0817; H04L43/0823; H04L43/0847; H04L43/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
A repeater interface controller for connecting a plurality of segments of a local area network, the repeater interface controller comprising: (a) a central node that includes; receiver means for receiving data packets, repeater means responsive to receipt of the data packets by the receiver means for repeating each of the data packets to form repeated data packets, and transmitter means for transmitting the repeated data packets; and (b) a plurality of port nodes connected to the central node, each port node being connectable to a corresponding one of the plurality of segments, each port node including: (i) means for receiving one or more data packets from said corresponding segment of the local area network, (ii) a partitioning port state machine including: means for detecting collisions from the beginning to the end of each of the one or more received data packets, means for partitioning said port node from said corresponding segment when collisions are detected in a predetermined number of consecutive received data packets, (iii) means for transmitting each of the one or more received data packets to the central node, (iv) means for identifying the port node that first received one or more data packets as a source port node such that other of the plurality of port nodes cannot transmit data packets received from their corresponding segments to the central node while said port node is identified as the source port node, (v) means for receiving the repeated data packets from the central node, and (vi) means for transmitting the repeated data packets received from the central node to said corresponding segment when said port node is not identified as the source port node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
A repeater interface controller for connecting a plurality of segments of a local area network, the repeater interface controller comprising: (a) a central node that includes; receiver means for receiving data packets, repeater means responsive to receipt of the data packets by the receiver means for repeating each of the data packets to form repeated data packets, and transmitter means for transmitting the repeated data packets; and (b) a plurality of port nodes connected to the central node, each port node being connectable to a corresponding one of the plurality of segments, each port node including: (i) means for receiving one or more data packets from said corresponding segment of the local area network, (ii) a partitioning port state machine including: means for detecting collisions from the beginning to the end of each of the one or more received data packets, means for partitioning said port node from said corresponding segment when collisions are detected in a predetermined number of consecutive received data packets, (iii) means for transmitting each of the one or more received data packets to the central node, (iv) means for identifying the port node that first received one or more data packets as a source port node such that other of the plurality of port nodes cannot transmit data packets received from their corresponding segments to the central node while said port node is identified as the source port node, (v) means for receiving the repeated data packets from the central node, and (vi) means for transmitting the repeated data packets received from the central node to said corresponding segment when said port node is not identified as the source port node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 1 and further comprising means for disabling the partitioning port state machine means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 1 wherein the predetermined number comprises 31 or 63 consecutive collisions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 1 wherein the partition port state machine further comprises means for reconnecting said partitioned port node to said corresponding segment s when the partitioning port state machine fails to detect a collision from the beginning to the end of a data packet received from said corresponding segment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 1 wherein the partitioning port state machine further comprises: means for detecting collisions from the beginning to the end of each repeated data packet transmitted to said corresponding segment, means for reconnecting said partitioned port node to said corresponding segment only when the partitioned port node transmits a repeated data packet to said corresponding segment without detecting a collision.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
273 words
A repeater interface controller for connecting a plurality of segments of a local area network, the repeater interface controller comprising: (a) a central node that includes: receiver means for receiving data packets, repeater means responsive to receipt of the data packets by the receiver means for repeating each of the data packets to form repeated data packets, and transmitter means for transmitting the repeated data packets; and (b) a plurality of port nodes connected to the central node, each port node being connectable to a corresponding one of the plurality of segments, each port node including: (i) means for receiving one or more data packets from said corresponding segment of the local area network, (ii) partitioning port state machine including: means for detecting collisions for more than 560 bit times from the beginning of each received data packet, means for partitioning said port node from said corresponding segment when collisions are detected in a predetermined number of consecutive received data packets, (iii) means for transmitting each of the one or more received data packets to the central node, (iv) means for identifying the port node that first received one or more data packets as a source port node such that other of the plurality of port node cannot transmit data packets received from their corresponding segments to the central node while said port node is identified as the source port node, (v) means for receiving the repeated data packets from the central node, and (vi) means for transmitting the repeated data packets received from the central node to said corresponding segment when said port node is not identified as the source port node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
273 words
A repeater interface controller for connecting a plurality of segments of a local area network, the repeater interface controller comprising: (a) a central node that includes: receiver means for receiving data packets, repeater means responsive to receipt of the data packets by the receiver means for repeating each of the data packets to form repeated data packets, and transmitter means for transmitting the repeated data packets; and (b) a plurality of port nodes connected to the central node, each port node being connectable to a corresponding one of the plurality of segments, each port node including: (i) means for receiving one or more data packets from said corresponding segment of the local area network, (ii) partitioning port state machine including: means for detecting collisions for more than 560 bit times from the beginning of each received data packet, means for partitioning said port node from said corresponding segment when collisions are detected in a predetermined number of consecutive received data packets, (iii) means for transmitting each of the one or more received data packets to the central node, (iv) means for identifying the port node that first received one or more data packets as a source port node such that other of the plurality of port node cannot transmit data packets received from their corresponding segments to the central node while said port node is identified as the source port node, (v) means for receiving the repeated data packets from the central node, and (vi) means for transmitting the repeated data packets received from the central node to said corresponding segment when said port node is not identified as the source port node.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 6 wherein the partition port state machine further comprises means for reconnecting said partitioned port node to said corresponding segment when the partitioning port state machine fails to detect a collision for more than 560 bit times from the beginning of a data packet received from said corresponding segment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The repeater interface controller of claim 7 wherein the partitioning port state machine further comprises: means for detecting collisions for more than 560 bit times from the beginning of each transmitted repeated data packet, means for reconnecting a port node to said corresponding segment only when the partitioned port node transmits a repeated data packet to said corresponding segment without detecting a collision.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4825435A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-07 | 1997-09-06 | 1998-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-07 | 2001-09-06 | 2002-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-07 | 2005-09-06 | 2006-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |