Time-division multiple-access method for packet transmission on shared synchronous serial buses

Data communications apparatus comprising:

• a time-division multiplexed bus having a bandwidth, where a portion of the bandwidth is allocated to packet data;
• a plurality of packet data sources coupled to the time-division multiplexed bus that share the allocated bandwidth for transmitting packet data;
• a packet arbitration bus comprising a packet request signal and a packet hold signal;
• interface circuitry coupled to the packet arbitration bus, said interface circuitry inserting packets to the allocated bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus, and performing a counting function by counting time-slots of the allocated bandwidth so long as the packet request signal is not asserted;
• and
• a packet data processor for providing the packets from a packet endpoint to the interface circuitry.

Communications apparatus comprising:

• a time-division multiplexed bus having a predefined bandwidth;
• a plurality of synchronous data sources coupled to the time-division multiplexed bus for communicating synchronous data in a first portion of the predefined bandwidth;
• a plurality of packet data sources coupled to the time-division multiplexed bus for communicating packet data in a second portion of the predefined bandwidth, where the plurality of packet data sources share the second portion of the predefined bandwidth for transmitting packet data;
• and
• a distributed packet manager within each of said packet data sources configured to allocate access to the second portion of the predefined bandwidth among said packet data sources.

Communications apparatus comprising:

• a time-division multiplexed bus having a predefined bandwidth;
• a plurality of synchronous data sources coupled to the time-division multiplexed bus for communicating synchronous data in a first portion of the predefined bandwidth;
• and
• a plurality of packet data sources coupled to the time-division multiplexed bus for communicating packet data in a second portion of the predefined bandwidth, where the plurality of packet data sources share the second portion of the predefined bandwidth for transmitting packet data, the second portion of the predefined bandwidth being shared in such a way that only one of the plurality of packet data sources accesses the second portion of the predefined bandwidth at a time.

A method for use in a data communications apparatus for transmitting packet data on a time-division multiplexed bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a plurality of packet data sources to the time-division multiplexed bus;
• allocating a portion of the bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus to the plurality of packet data sources in such a way that the allocated portion is shared among the plurality of packet data sources;
• transmitting packet data from the plurality of packet data sources on the allocated portion of the bandwidth;
• and
• controlling access by said packet data sources to the allocated portion of the bandwidth via a distributed packet manager within each of said packet data sources.

A method for use in a data communications apparatus for transmitting packet data on a time-division multiplexed bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• coupling a plurality of packet data sources to the time-division multiplexed bus;
• allocating a portion of the bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus to the plurality of packet data sources in such a way that the allocated portion is shared among the plurality of packet data sources;
• assigning to each one of the plurality of packet data sources an identification number;
• counting, in each one of the plurality of packet data sources, a sequence of time-slots representing the allocated portion of the bandwidth;
• and
• transmitting packet data from one of the plurality of packet data sources on the allocated portion of the bandwidth only when the value of the count matches the respective identification number assigned to that packet data source.

A method for transmitting packet data on a time-division multiplexed bus in data communications equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

• allocating a portion of the bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus as a multiple-access packet channel;
• coupling a plurality of packet data sources to the time-division multiplexed bus;
• controlling the access by said packet data sources to the allocated portion of the bandwidth via a distributed packet manager within each of said packet data sources;
• transmitting packet data from the one of the plurality of packet data sources having access to the multiple-access packet channel.

A method for transmitting packet data on a time-division multiplexed bus in data communications equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

• allocating a portion of the bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus as a multiple-access packet channel;
• coupling a plurality of packet data sources to the time-division multiplexed bus;
• assigning a unique identification number to each one of the plurality of packet data sources;
• counting, in each one of the plurality of packet data sources, a sequence of time-slots representing the multiple-access packet channel;
• granting access to the multiple-access packet channel to that one of the plurality of packet data sources that requests access when the value of the count matches the respective identification number of that packet data source;
• and
• transmitting packet data from the one of the plurality of packet data sources having access to the multiple-access packet channel.

A method for transmitting packet data on a time-division multiplexed bus for use in data communications equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

• allocating a portion of the bandwidth of the time-division multiplexed bus as a multiple-access packet channel;
• coupling a plurality of packet data sources to the time-division multiplexed bus;
• arbitrating between the plurality of packet data sources to grant access to the multiple-access packet channel to one of the plurality of packet data sources at a time;
• and
• transmitting packet data from the one of the plurality of packet data sources having access in the arbitrating step only if a packet hold signal is not asserted by another one of the plurality of packet data sources.

A data communications apparatus, comprising;

• a time-division multiplexed bus with a bandwidth which is split into at least two portions, one of the portions being allocated for packet data;
• a plurality of packet data sources coupled to said time-division multiplexed bus, the packet data sources transmitting packet data on said portion allocated for packet data;
• and
• means for arbitrating access to the portion of the time-division multiplexed bus allocated for packet data among the plurality of packet data sources.