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AssigneeCommunication & Control Electronics Limited
InventorsAndrew Stirling, Simon Pendergast, Harivaden Parmar
Estimating the term…
Examples of local communication systems are disclosed, based on a ring of point-to-point links, providing for transport of fixed rate synchronous, fixed rate asynchronous data and variable rate data in a flexible format. Different segments of the ring network can carry data at different bit rates, while remaining synchronised to a common frame rate and having a common control channel structure, for compatibility with earlier systems. Parallel channels are provided, either permanently or when required, for signalling errors of source data, data validity/padding, flow control. Parallel variable width channels are defined with free content (stream or packet). Null data symbols are defined for padding on a byte-by-byte basis. The allocation of capacity among variable width channels is revised block by block, and a transition period is defined to allow for ring latency. Calculations for allocation of capacity are performed during one block for the next block, locally at each source station, according to predetermined rules. Information as to bandwidth requirements is exchanged prior to the calculation via a special connection signalling channel and message format.
1-65. (canceled)
A method for allocating capacity among a plurality of desired connections over a network wherein stations of the network communicate to one another their requirements for network capacity, and each station responsible for establishing a respective connection performs a calculation to allocate to that connection a certain capacity, the calculation being performed by all such stations using a common set of rules so as to arrive at a consistent allocation of capacity between the connections.
A local communication system comprising a network conveying source data in variable channels, wherein capacity is allocated plurality of desired connections over a shared network medium, wherein stations of the network communicate to one another their requirements for network capacity, and each station responsible for establishing a respective connection performs a calculation to allocate to that connection a certain capacity, the calculation being performed by all such stations using a common set of rules so as to arrive at a consistent allocation of capacity between the connections.
A local communications system wherein a plurality of stations interchange data via a network in accordance with a plurality of logical connections, each connection carrying data from a first station designated as source for that connection to at least one second station designated as destination for that connection, such data being subject to a delay at one or more intervening stations relative to a frame sequence of the ring network, the system comprising:
A local communication system comprising a network conveying source data in variable rate channels, by means of a regular frame structure, each frame providing a fixed number of source data fields, wherein each field can be reserved dynamically to form part of a variable rate channel whose width varies during the life time of the relevant connection, and wherein, when a plurality of variable rate channels of non-zero width are established, each frame carries at least some data for every channel.
A method of communication between stations in a network, wherein plural variable rate channels are established in a common frame structure, by allocating the same fields of each frame to a given channel throughout a block of frames, adapting the allocation of fields to channels for each successive block of frames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.