US 5,491,720 A · Method and system for automatically determining data communication device type and corresponding transmission rate

Abstract

A method and system in a data communications system for automatically determining a data communication device type and a transmission speed associated with the data communication device type. An incoming communication is detected on a transmission line, and transmit and receive hardware are connected to the transmission line. Next, a sequence of different signals in either a first communication protocol or a second communication protocol are transmitted from a first data communication device via a transmission line. The transmission line is then monitored for a response signal from a second data communication device. The response signal is initiated from the second data communication device in response to receipt of a particular signal within the transmitted sequence of different signals. Utilizing the relationship between the response signal and the transmitted sequence of different signals, a data communication device type and transmission speed are determined, and data communications may then be established between the first data communication device and the second data communication device at an optimal transmission speed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method in a data communication system for automatically determining a data communication device type and a transmission speed associated with said data communication device type, wherein said data communication system comprises a first data communication device and at least a second data communication device couplable to said first data communication device over a transmission line, said method comprising the steps of:

initiating transmission in a first communication protocol of a sequence of different signals from said first data communication device via said transmission line at predetermined intervals;
monitoring said transmission line for an occurrence of a response signal from said second data communication device;
initiating the response signal from said second data communication device in response to receipt of a particular signal within said sequence of different signals;
utilizing a relationship between said occurrence of said response signal and the transmission of said sequence of different signals to determine the data communication device type and the transmission speed for said second data communication device, wherein data communications may be established between said first data communication device and said second data communication device at an optimal transmission speed.

1 more element

A data communication system for automatically determining a data communication device type and a transmission speed associated with said data communication device type, wherein said data communication system comprises:

a first data communication device and at least a second data communication device couplable to said first data communication device over a transmission line;
means for initiating transmission in a first communication protocol of a sequence of different signals from said first data communication device via said transmission line at predetermined intervals;
means for monitoring said transmission line for an occurrence of a response signal from said second data communication device;
means for initiating the response signal from said second data communication device in response to receipt of a particular signal within said sequence of different signals;
and
means for utilizing a relationship between said occurrence of said response signal and the transmission of said sequence of different signals to determine the data communication device type and the transmission speed for said second data communication device, wherein data communications may be established between said first data communication device and said second data communication device at an optimal transmission speed.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for automatically determining data communication device type and corresponding transmission rate

Life of this patent

Method and system for automatically determining data communication device type and corresponding transmission rate

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20