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US6137803A
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Communication system
Assignee: SMSC Europe GmbH
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Filing: 1997-10-14
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Granted: 2000-10-24
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Expires: 2017-10-14
Abstract
Abstract The communication system has a plurality of subscribers connected through respective interface circuits to a ring feeder for the common transmission of digital source data and control data. The source data and control data are transmitted in a format which prescribes a pulsed sequence of individual bit groups of equal length. The bit groups are subdivided into component bit groups each forming a data channel. At least one date channel is provided for control data which are transmitted in data packets with a destination address. Furthermore, the interface circuit of each subscriber contains an address decoder. The communication system is simplified, and changes to the system are made easier in that at least one subscriber has a special address by means of which a received data packet is fed directly to an instruction decoder inside the interface circuit, which decodes to the bit base an instruction code contained in the data packet. The interface circuit, i.e., the subscriber reacts immediately to a corresponding instruction in the instruction code.
Inventors
- 👤 Andreas Stiegler
- 👤 Patrick Heck
- 👤 Herbert Hetzel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 03:33
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
In a communication system with a plurality of subscribers which are connected via respective interface circuits to a ring feeder, a method of transmitting in common digital source data and control data in a format which prescribes a pulsed sequence of individual bit groups of equal length, the method which comprises: transmitting data in bit groups of equal length and subdividing the bit groups into component bit groups each forming a data channel; assigning at least one of the data channels for control data which are transmitted in data packets including a destination address; providing an interface circuit of each subscriber with an address decoder and an instruction decoder; defining at least one of the subscribers with a special address by which a data packet received thereby is communicated directly to the instruction decoder in the interface circuit, and decoding, with the instruction decoder, bits of an instruction code contained in the data packet; and directly responding to an instruction in the instruction code and performing the instruction with the respective subscriber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
In a communication system with a plurality of subscribers which are connected via respective interface circuits to a ring feeder, a method of transmitting in common digital source data and control data in a format which prescribes a pulsed sequence of individual bit groups of equal length, the method which comprises: transmitting data in bit groups of equal length and subdividing the bit groups into component bit groups each forming a data channel; assigning at least one of the data channels for control data which are transmitted in data packets including a destination address; providing an interface circuit of each subscriber with an address decoder and an instruction decoder; defining at least one of the subscribers with a special address by which a data packet received thereby is communicated directly to the instruction decoder in the interface circuit, and decoding, with the instruction decoder, bits of an instruction code contained in the data packet; and directly responding to an instruction in the instruction code and performing the instruction with the respective subscriber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction decoder comprises control registers and the method further comprises determining, with the control registers, operational states of the subscriber through the special address.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises defining at least one instruction as an instruction to store data transmitted in the data packet in the interface circuit of the subscriber with the special address.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises defining at least one instruction as an instruction to reset and/or calibrate the subscriber with the special address.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises defining a receiver for source data as the subscriber with the special address.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises defining at least one instruction as an instruction to transmit data stored in the interface circuit of the subscriber with the special address via the ring feeder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 6, which comprises transmitting the data stored in the interface circuit in a data packet which also contains data from the received data packet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 7, which comprises providing the data packet with a check code.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the interface circuits of all the subscribers are identical interface circuits.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises reserving an arbitrarily large contiguous region of a plurality of bit positions for source data inside a bit group for data which are transmitted in data packets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method according to claim 10, which comprises writing, with a data packet-transmitting subscriber, successive bits of a data packet to be transmitted in mutually adjacent bit positions which are reserved for data packet-transmitted data, and, if a given data packet contains more bit positions than the given contiguous region, writing the given data packet into a plurality of successive bit groups.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises reserving a contiguous region of bit positions for source data which are transmitted in a continuous data stream adjacent the region for the data packets, and defining and setting a boundary between the region for the source data transmitted in the continuous data stream and the region for the data packets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 12, which comprises setting the boundary permanently in accordance with a defined transmission capacity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 12, which comprises setting the boundary in real-time in accordance with a currently required transmission capacity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises defining an instruction to transmit data stored in the interface circuit of the subscriber with the special address via the ring feeder, the instruction being a request for a free channel from a subscriber which would like to transmit source data to be transmitted in a continuous data stream.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises assigning each subscriber which is capable of transmitting source data which are transmitted in a continuous data stream with a special address and/or recognizing, with the respective subscriber, a special instruction by means of which address or instruction information for current channel allocation in a received data packet is written directly into appropriate registers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 1, which comprises managing, with a single subscriber, complete information for a current allocation of channels for source data which are transmitted in continuous data streams.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 17, which further comprises generating a system clock pulse with the single subscriber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the ring feeder is formed by optical fibers and the transmitting step comprises transmitting data between the subscribers through the optical fibers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication system is disposed in a motor vehicle, and the transmitting step comprises transmitting data between individual devices in the motor vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-24 | 2004-04-24 | 2004-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-24 | 2008-04-24 | 2008-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-24 | 2012-04-24 | 2012-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |