US5588151A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for communication switching including providing information overflow indications
Assignee: Lannet Data Communications Ltd
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Filing: 1995-09-08
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Granted: 1996-12-24
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Expires: 2015-09-08
Abstract
Abstract Communication switching apparatus for providing communication between a multiplicity of digital information processors, the apparatus including a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the multiplicity of digital information processors, and a port interconnector operative to provide communication between more than one pair of ports from among the plurality of ports, characterized in that, when an overflow of information is caused at the port interconnector or at one of the plurality of ports, an overflow indication is provided to the digital information processors which communicate with the port interconnector or with the overflowed one of the plurality of ports.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacob Segal
- 👤 Josef Ben-Moshe
- 👤 Zvika Weinstock
- 👤 Zvika Harnik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 20:55
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/44; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/13; H04L47/135; H04L49/00; H04L49/35; H04L49/351; H04L49/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
Communication switching apparatus for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors, each said processor conventionally including an activity detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the activity detector encounters a symptom of activity on said medium, the switching apparatus including: a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and an overflow indicator, sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; the switching apparatus being characterized in that the overflow indicator, upon sensing said overflow, provides an artificially generated symptom of activity to at least one said activity detector.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
Communication switching apparatus for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors, each said processor conventionally including an activity detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the activity detector encounters a symptom of activity on said medium, the switching apparatus including: a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and an overflow indicator, sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; the switching apparatus being characterized in that the overflow indicator, upon sensing said overflow, provides an artificially generated symptom of activity to at least one said activity detector.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said symptom comprises LAN traffic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said LAN port interconnector comprises an Ethernet interconnector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said LAN port interconnector comprises a Token Ring interconnector and wherein said symptom of activity comprises inability to obtain a token.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said LAN port interconnector comprises an IEEE 802.3 standard interconnector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each individual port includes an information overflow sensor and indicator operative to sense an overflow and operative to provide an overflow indication to the digital information processors communicating with the individual port.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said LAN port interconnector comprises an IEEE 802.5 standard interconnector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein all of said multiplicity of digital information processors are operative to refrain from transmitting information onto said medium upon encountering the symptom of activity on said medium and would otherwise transmit information.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors, each said processor conventionally including an activity detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the activity detector encounters a symptom of activity on said medium, the method including: providing a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; providing a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; and upon sensing said overflow, providing an artificially generated symptom of activity to at least one said activity detector.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors, each said processor conventionally including an activity detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the activity detector encounters a symptom of activity on said medium, the method including: providing a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; providing a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; and upon sensing said overflow, providing an artificially generated symptom of activity to at least one said activity detector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said symptom comprises LAN traffic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein said step of sensing overflow comprises the step of inspecting for a congestion criterion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
160 words
Communication switching apparatus for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors for which a token is defined, each said processor conventionally including a token possession detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the token possession detector detects that the processor does not possess a token, the switching apparatus including: a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and an overflow indicator, sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; the switching apparatus being characterized in that the overflow indicator includes a priority indicator which, upon sensing said overflow, elevates the token's priority such that the token possession detector of at least one of said processors detects that its processor does not possess the token.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
160 words
Communication switching apparatus for providing LAN communication among a multiplicity of digital information processors for which a token is defined, each said processor conventionally including a token possession detector operative to cause the processor to refrain from transmitting information onto a medium when the token possession detector detects that the processor does not possess a token, the switching apparatus including: a plurality of ports each communicating with at least one of the digital information processors via said medium; a LAN port interconnector interconnecting at least two of said plurality of ports; and an overflow indicator, sensing overflow at at least one of: the LAN port interconnector; and at least one of the plurality of ports; the switching apparatus being characterized in that the overflow indicator includes a priority indicator which, upon sensing said overflow, elevates the token's priority such that the token possession detector of at least one of said processors detects that its processor does not possess the token.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-12-24 | 2000-06-24 | 2000-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-24 | 2004-06-24 | 2004-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-24 | 2008-06-24 | 2008-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |