Communication line interface for controlling data information having differing transmission characteristics

In a communication system having both bursty and continuous data inputs for accepting digital data from stations connectable to said inputs, said system arranged for communicating said data between said stations through a switching network, the combination characterized in that said system comprises

• a station controller for interfacing between a group of said stations and said switching network over a single communication link between each said station controller and said network,
• means for establishing on said link a plurality of repetitive time frames, each said time frame having a multiplexed data time slot and a fixed number n continuous data time slots, all said time slots adapted for the movement of data bits between said station controller and said network,
• means for multiplexing digital data received from all said bursty data inputs,
• means for placing multiplexed data into said multiplexed data time slot of each time frame, said multiplexed data having addressing information bits assigned thereto,
• means for assigning a first active one of said continuous data inputs to a first idle one of said continuous data time slots of each time frame, and
• means for placing digital information received from said first active continuous data input into said assigned continuous data time slot, said digital information not having addressing information bits assigned thereto.

A digital communication system arranged to transmit data bits among a plurality of stations connected to said system, said system comprising

• a digital loop,
• a plurality of controllers connected to said digital loop over a single bidirectional link, each controller arranged to accept communication transmission from a plurality of stations, said transmission having both bursty and continuous characteristics,
• means for establishing on said link a plurality of repetitive time frames, each said time frame having a single bursty data time slot and a fixed number of continuous data time slots, said time slots adapted to the movement of data bits between said station controller and said digital loop,
• means for multiplexing digital data received from all said bursty data inputs, said multiplexed data having address information associated therewith,
• means for placing bytes of multiplexed data into said bursty data time slot of each time frame,
• means for assigning a first active one of said continuous data inputs to a first one of said continuous data time slots of each time frame, whether or not information is actually being received from said input, and
• means for placing received bytes of digital information received from said first active continuous data input into said assigned time slot, said received bytes having no address information associated therewith.

The method of concurrently transmitting both bursty data from a group of inputs and continuous data from another group of inputs over a single channel

• characterized in that said method includes the steps of:
• establishing time frames for transmitting said data over said channel,
• multiplexing data received from said bursty data inputs,
• generating from said multiplexed data a series of bursty bytes, each series of said bursty data bytes including address headers,
• generating from each active continuous data input a series of continuous data bytes, each series of said continuous data bytes not including address headers,
• interleaving said bursty data bytes with said generated continuous data bytes from active ones of said continuous data inputs, and
• placing said interleaved bytes in said time frames such that a fixed time slot of each said frame is dedicated to said bursty data bytes while a fixed number of other time slots of each frame are dedicated to said continuous data bytes from said active ones of said continuous data inputs, whether or not data is actually being received from said active continuous data inputs.

An arrangement for concurrently transmitting both bursty data from a group of inputs and continuous data from another group of inputs over a communication channel having time frames established thereon

• characterized in that said arrangement includes:
• means for generating from said bursty data inputs a series of bytes, each series of said bursty data bytes including address header bits,
• means for generating from each active continuous data input a series of continuous data bytes, each series of said continuous data byte only including bits other than address header bits, and
• means for arranging said bursty data bytes and said continuous data bytes for presentation to said time frames such that a fixed time slot of each said frame is dedicated to said bursty data bytes while a fixed number of other time slots of each said frame are dedicated to said continuous data inputs, whether or not data is actually being received from said active continuous data inputs.

An arrangement for concurrently transmitting data bits from a first group of inputs and data bits from a second group of inputs over a communication channel having time frames established thereon

• characterized in that said arrangement includes:
• means for establishing from said first group of inputs a series of data bit bytes, said series including at least one data bit used by said transmission arrangement for destination identity.
• means for establishing from each active input of said second group of inputs a series of data bit bytes, each series of said data bit bytes not containing bits used by said transmission arrangement for destination identity, and
• means for arranging said first group data bytes and said second group data bytes for presentation to said time frames such that a fixed field of each said frame is dedicated to said first group of data bytes while a fixed number of other fields of each said frame are dedicated to said second group of inputs, whether or not data is actually being received from said active second group data inputs.

A method for concurrently transmitting data bits from a group of inputs and data bits from a second group of inputs over a communication channel having time frames established thereon

• characterized in that said method includes:
• establishing from said first group of inputs a series of data bit tyes, said first series including at least one destination identity bit,
• establishing from each active second group of inputs a series of data bit bytes, each series of said data bit bytes not containing bits used by said transmission arrangement for destination identity, and
• arranging said first group data bytes and said second group data bytes for presentation to said time frames such that a fixed field of each said frame is dedicated to said first group of data bytes while a fixed number of other fields of each said frame are dedicated to said second group of inputs, whether or not data is actually being received from said active second group data inputs.