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US6157656A
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Method and arrangement for dynamic signalling
Assignee: Net Insight Intellectual Property AB
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Filing: 1997-03-25
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Granted: 2000-12-05
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Expires: 2017-03-25
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for dynamic signalling in a network, such as a Dynamic Synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM) network. The network's bandwidth is divided into cycles, which in turn are divided into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data. Preferably, each or certain nodes have a node controller, which control the access to slots. According to the invention data slots are converted into control slots, called dynamic control slots, or control slots are converted into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of a node. The dynamic control slots may be used for point-to-point, multicast or broadcast signalling.
Inventors
- 👤 Per Lindgren
- 👤 Christer Bohm
- 👤 Lars Gauffin
- 👤 Lars Ramfelt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:39
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/16; H04J3/1682; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/2852; H04J2203/00; H04J2203/0001; H04J2203/0028; H04J2203/0039; H04J2203/0044; H04J2203/0046; H04J2203/0089
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for dynamic signalling in a network having a plurality of nodes and a bandwidth, said method comprising: dividing said bandwidth into a plurality of time-sequential cycles; dividing said plurality of time-sequential cycles into control slots for network control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and converting data slots into control slots or converting control slots into data slots in order to change the signaling capacity of a node.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for dynamic signalling in a network having a plurality of nodes and a bandwidth, said method comprising: dividing said bandwidth into a plurality of time-sequential cycles; dividing said plurality of time-sequential cycles into control slots for network control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and converting data slots into control slots or converting control slots into data slots in order to change the signaling capacity of a node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said data slots converted into control slots are called dynamic control slots, and wherein only said dynamic control slots may be converted into data slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said method is implemented in a Dynamic Synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM) network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one slot per cycle, called static control slot, is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one slot, called static control slot, every n'th cycle is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node, the value of n being preferably selected as an integer value from one to the total number of nodes in said network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said cycles are counted in order to localise said static control slot related to said node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the respective static control slots related to different nodes are arranged in the same position within the cycle but in different cycles within a frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising informing downstream nodes about said conversion related to said node.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising using the length of a queue for outgoing control slots related to said node, said queue representing the control slot demand, as a measure for deciding whether or not data slots shall be converted into control slots, related to said node, or vice versa.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising using the length of a queue for outgoing control slots related to said node, said queue representing the control slot demand, as a measure for deciding how many data slots that shall be converted into control slots, related to said node, or vice versa.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a data slot that said node has access to as the slot to be converted into a dynamic control slot related to said node.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according claim 1, further comprising selecting a data slot that a second node has access to as the slot to be converted into a dynamic control slot related to a first node.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising using said data slots converted into control slots for point-to-point control signalling.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising using said data slots converted into control slots for multicast control signalling.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising using said data slots converted into control slots for control signalling between at least two nodes on a common logical control signalling channel thus forming a virtual network.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 15, further comprising using said dynamic control slots for allocating bandwidth to nodes attached to the virtual network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 15, further comprising connecting nodes on different buses to the same virtual network.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 15, further comprising connecting a node to a virtual network while being connected to at least one other virtual network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
87 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising said method being combined with a slot reuse method in such a way that data slots are converted into control slots, or vice versa, only on segments connecting communicating nodes, a segment being the part of the transmission medium that connects a node to another node, leaving the same slots on other segments of the network unconverted, and thus enabling other nodes to use these slots for data transmission or to convert them into control slots or vise versa.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
A controller for a network containing at least two nodes, the network having a bandwidth divided into cycles, each cycle containing a plurality of slots, the controller comprising: means for dividing the plurality of slots into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data, and means for converting data slots into control slots and/or converting control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of a node.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
73 words
A controller for a network containing at least two nodes, the network having a bandwidth divided into cycles, each cycle containing a plurality of slots, the controller comprising: means for dividing the plurality of slots into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data, and means for converting data slots into control slots and/or converting control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of a node.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A controller according to claim 20, wherein said controller is located in a node of a Dynamic Synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A controller according to claim 20, wherein said controller is arranged to leave at least one slot per cycle or one slot per n'th cycle, called static control slot, unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
62 words
A node in a network, said node comprising: a bandwidth divided into a plurality of sequential cycles, each cycle divided into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and a node controller arranged to convert data slots into control slots and/or to convert control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of said node.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
A node in a network, said node comprising: a bandwidth divided into a plurality of sequential cycles, each cycle divided into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and a node controller arranged to convert data slots into control slots and/or to convert control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of said node.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
84 words
A network comprising: a bandwidth divided into a plurality of sequential cycles, each cycle divided into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and a plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the nodes comprises a node controller arranged to convert data slots into control slots and/or to convert control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of said node based on the queue length of control signals to be placed in outgoing control slots.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
84 words
A network comprising: a bandwidth divided into a plurality of sequential cycles, each cycle divided into control slots for control signalling and data slots for transferring data; and a plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the nodes comprises a node controller arranged to convert data slots into control slots and/or to convert control slots into data slots in order to change the signalling capacity of said node based on the queue length of control signals to be placed in outgoing control slots.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said method is implemented in a Dynamic Synchronous Transfer Mode (DTM) network.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein at least one slot per cycle, called static control slot, is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one slot per cycle, called static control slot, is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein at least one slot, called static control slot, every n'th cycle is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node, the value of n being preferably selected as an integer value from one to the total number of nodes in said network.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one slot, called static control slot, every n'th cycle is left unconverted when converting control slots into data slots related to said node, the value of n being preferably selected as an integer value from one to the total number of nodes in said network.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the respective static control slot related to different nodes are arranged in the same position within the cycle but in different cycles within a frame.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 16, further comprising connecting nodes on different buses to the same virtual network.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 16, further comprising connecting a node to a virtual network while being connected to at least one other virtual network.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 17, further comprising connecting a node to a virtual network while being connected to at least one other virtual network.
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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) | 2003-12-05 | 2004-06-05 | 2004-12-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-12-05 | 2008-06-05 | 2008-12-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-12-05 | 2012-06-05 | 2012-12-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |