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US 6,618,385 B1Granted
High performance, high bandwidth, and adaptive local area network communications
AssigneeCirrus Logic, Inc.
InventorRobert Cousins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus, method, and system to provide an open, easy-to-use, robust, and reliable Local Area Network (LAN) system that is capable of handling high data throughput and high bandwidth communication applications and at the same time, is adaptive to changing conditions is provided. Prior to the actual data transfer, a network initialization process is carried out to determine the maximum available data transfer throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions, and electrical characteristics between two devices on the LAN. These parameters are then utilized to determine the maximum allowable data transfer rate and the optimum data transfer conditions between the two devices.
Claims39
A Local Area Network (LAN) interface adapter apparatus comprising:
- an interface circuit coupled between a first data terminal device and a LAN, comprising:
- means for performing a network initialization process with a second data terminal device having a substantially similar interface adapter apparatus coupled to the LAN prior to a data transfer between the first and second data terminal devices, the means for performing a network initialization process comprising:
- first means for determining information related to available data throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions, and electrical characteristics of a connection between the devices;
- second means for performing a frequency spread search, a signal quality analysis, an attenuation measurement, an echo canceling study, and an optimal filtering analysis;
- third means for Generating transmission parameters in response to the first and second means;
- and
- means for encrypting data for transmission and decoding encrypted data received;
- a transmit circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for transmitting data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means;
- and
- a receive circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for receiving data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means.
7 more elements
A LAN system comprising:
- a hub having a plurality of ports, the hub buffering data received and managing data flows between the plurality of ports;
- and
- a plurality of data terminal devices coupled to the plurality of the ports of the hub by a connecting medium, the plurality of devices transferring data to each other;
- wherein the hub and each of the plurality of data terminal devices include a network interface apparatus comprising:
- means for performing a network initialization process with a second data terminal device having a substantially similar interface adapter apparatus coupled to the LAN prior to a data transfer between the first and second data terminal devices, the means for performing a network initialization process comprising:
- first means for determining information related to available data throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions and electrical characteristics of a connection between the devices;
- second means for performing a frequency spread search, a signal quality analysis, an attenuation measurement, an echo canceling study, and an optimal filtering analysis;
- third means for generating transmission parameters in response to the first and second means;
- and
- means for encrypting data for transmission and decoding encrypted data received;
- a transmit circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for transmitting data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means;
- and
- a receive circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for receiving data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means.
10 more elements
A computer system adapted for use as a data terminal device, the computer system comprising:
- a bus;
- a central processor connected to the bus;
- memory connected to the bus;
- a LAN interface adapter apparatus comprising:
- an interface circuit coupled between first data terminal device and a LAN, comprising:
- means for performing a network initialization process with second data terminal device having a substantially similar interface adapter apparatus coupled to the LAN prior to a data transfer between the first and second data terminal devices, the means for performing a network initialization process comprising:
- first means for determining information related to available data throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions, and electrical characteristics of a connection between the devices;
- second means for performing a frequency spread search, a signal quality analysis, an attenuation measurement, an echo canceling study, and an optimal filtering analysis;
- third means for generating transmission parameters in response to the first and second means;
- and
- means for encrypting data for transmission and decoding encrypted data received;
- a transmit circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for transmitting data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means;
- and
- a receive circuit coupled to the interface circuit, comprising means for receiving data having the transmission parameters generated by the third means.
11 more elements
A method operating a LAN that is capable of handling high data throughput and high bandwidth communication applications and is adaptive to changing conditions, the method comprising the steps of:
- performing a network initialization process between two data terminal devices having substantially similar interface adapter apparatuses coupled to a LAN prior to a data transfer between the two data terminal devices, wherein the network initialization process comprises:
- determining information related to available data throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions, and electrical characteristics of a connection between the two data terminal devices;
- and
- performing a frequency spread search, a signal quality analysis, an attenuation measurement, an echo canceling study, and an optimal filtering analysis;
- encrypting data for transmission;
- decoding encrypted data received;
- and
- transferring data between the two data terminal devices utilizing the information determined from the network, initialization process.
5 more elements
A local area network (LAN) interface adapter comprising:
- a transmit circuit coupled to transmit data to a LAN;
- a receive circuit coupled to receive data from the LAN;
- an interface circuit coupled between a first data terminal device and the LAN, comprising:
- a data terminal equipment (DTE) interface coupled to a first data terminal device, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit;
- a network interface coupled to the LAN, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit;
- whereby:
- in a receive mode, the network interface receives data from the LAN, transmits the data to the receive circuit to be processed, and the receive circuit transmits the processed data to the DTE interface to be transmitted to the DTE;
- and
- in a transmit mode, the DTE interface receives data from the DTE, transmits the data to the transmit circuit to be processed, and the transmit circuit transmits the processed data to the network interface to be transmitted to the LAN;
- and
- an interface controller coupled to the DTE interface and the network interface, comprising a processor programmed to:
- determine information related to available data throughput, optimized bandwidth, optimized transfer conditions, and electrical characteristics of a connection between the first data terminal device and a second data terminal device coupled to the LAN;
- perform a frequency spread search, a signal quality analysis, an attenuation measurement, an echo canceling study, and an optimal filtering analysis;
- generate transmission parameters in response to the determining and performing operations;
- and
- transmit the data transmission parameters to the DTE interface and the network interface, whereby, in response to the data transmission parameters:
- the DTE interface provides compensations and adjustments to the data signal received from the DTE;
- and
- the network interface provides compensations and adjustments to the data signal received from the LAN.
16 more elements
A local area network (LAN) interface adapter comprising:
- a transmit circuit coupled to transmit data to a LAN;
- a receive circuit coupled to receive data from the LAN;
- an interface circuit coupled between a first data terminal device and the LAN, comprising:
- a data terminal equipment, (DTE) interface coupled to a first data terminal device, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit;
- a network interface coupled to the LAN;
- an interface controller coupled to the DTE interface and the network interface, comprising:
- a processor;
- a serial engine, responsive to control signals from the processor, coupled to the network interface;
- frame check logic, responsive to control signals from the processor, coupled to the serial engine;
- a encryption engine, responsive to control signals from the processor, coupled to the frame check logic;
- a compression/decompression engine, responsive to control signals from the processor, coupled to the frame check logic and the encryption engine;
- and
- a buffer memory, responsive to control signals from the processor, coupled to the DTE interface and the compression/decompression engine.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.