Transceiver interface

In a network node having an intelligent cell and a transceiver, the transceiver coupled to a communications medium for communicating with other nodes of the network, a method for exchanging information between the cell and the transceiver and comprising the steps of:

• (a) supplying the transceiver with a bit clock generated by the cell;
• (b) supplying the transceiver with a frame clock generated by the cell;
• (c) transferring successive frame of transceiver-bound information from the cell to the transceiver during respective successive cycles of the frame clock;
• (d) transferring successive frames of cell-bound information from the transceiver to the cell substantially concurrently with the transfer of corresponding frame of transceiver-bound information, wherein each frame of said transceiver-bound and cell-bound information both comprise a plurality of status bits and a plurality of data bits transferred in synchronism with the bit clock;
• and wherein a first frame of transceiver-bound information includes a transmit request flag for requesting the transceiver to transmit on the communications medium and a first frame of cell-bound information includes a first status bit to clear the transmit request flag;
• and
• (e) listening for carrier on the communications medium before the transceiver responds to said request.

In a network node having an intelligent cell and a transceiver, the transceiver coupled to a communications medium for communicating with other nodes of the network, a method for exchanging information between the cell and the transceiver comprising the steps of:

• (a) supplying the transceiver with a bit clock generated by the cell;
• (b) supplying the transceiver with a frame clock generated by the cell;
• (c) transferring transceiver-bound information form the cell to the transceiver including a transceiver status request flag and a register address during a first frame of the frame clock;
• (d) transferring cell-bound information from the transceiver to the cell including data contained in a transceiver register identified by the register address and a status acknowledgement flag during a second frame of the frame clock, wherein the second frame immediately follows the first frame.

In a network node having an intelligent cell and a transceiver, the transceiver coupled to a communications medium for communicating with other nodes of the network, an apparatus for exchanging information between the cell and the transceiver comprising:

• first interconnection means for transferring first information from the cell to the transceiver;
• second interconnection means for transferring second information from the transceiver to the cell substantially concurrent with the transfer of first information;
• third interconnection means for supplying the transceiver with a bit clock generated by the cell;
• fourth interconnection means for supplying the transceiver with a frame clock generated by the cell;
• wherein said first and second information both comprise a plurality of data bits and eight status bits.

In a network node having an intelligent cell and a transceiver, the transceiver coupled to a communications medium for communicating with other nodes of the network, an apparatus for exchanging information between the cell and the transceiver comprising:

• first interconnection means for transferring first information from the cell to the transceiver;
• second interconnection means for transferring second information from the transceiver to the cell substantially concurrent with the transfer of first information;
• third interconnection means for supplying the transceiver with a bit clock generated by the cell;
• fourth interconnection means for supplying the transceiver with a frame clock generated by the cell;
• wherein said first and second information both comprise a plurality of status bits and eight data bits.