System for implementing network protocols between devices on a printed circuit board
Assignee3Com Corporation
InventorsSandeep A. Patel, Theresa A. Bradshaw, Michael K. Pula, James R. Cowley
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Abstract
A system enabling devices on a printed circuit board to communicate using network communication protocols over the communication medium provided on a circuit board. Disclosed are means for interfacing devices to differential traces on the printed circuit board such that a network communication protocol can be implemented over the traces on a printed circuit board. A hub system is also disclosed to regulate access to a shared communication medium and allow a plurality of devices to communicate over the shared communication medium. Exemplary systems are described.
Claims16
A system for enabling devices on a printed circuit board to communicate using a network protocol, comprising:
- a first device having a first MAC block, wherein the first device is situated on the printed circuit board;
- a second device having a second MAC block, wherein the second device is on the printed circuit board in communication with the first device;
- a trace pair in the printed circuit board providing a communication path between the first device and the second device, wherein the first and second MAC blocks implement a network protocol over the trace pair to provide communication between the first device and the second device;
- and
- a matching network interfacing the first and second MAC blocks to the trace pair in the printed circuit board, the matching network providing line isolation.
A hub system for allowing a plurality of devices to communicate over a printed circuit board using network protocols, comprising:
- a shared communication medium providing communication access between the plurality of devices;
- a plurality of buffers providing the plurality of devices access to the shared communication medium;
- and
- a collision detector monitoring the shared communication access to provide an indication when more than one device is transmitting on the shared communication medium, wherein the collision detector enables network protocols to be communicated over the shared communication medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.