Multiple channel data communication system
AssigneeSytek, Inc.
InventorsKenneth J. Biba, Jose J. Picazo, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiple channel communications system and method for communication among multiple channels using a channel selectable MODEM. The system is comprised of a coaxial cable, a variety of interface units with attached communicating devices and a channel bridge. The interface units include a MODEM and a microprocessor based support element adapted for the attached communicating device. The channel bridge includes two or more [MODEM's] MODEMs and a microprocessor based computer for receiving data from one MODEM and transmitting the data on another MODEM.
Claims13
A data communication system comprising:
- a coaxial cable;
- a plurality of [MODEM's] MODEMs connected to the cable including means for selecting the transmit and receive [frequency bandwidths] frequencies of each of the [MODEM's] MODEMs ;
- means connected to the [MODEM's] MODEMS for supplying data to and receiving data from each of the [MODEM's] MODEMs ;
- a central retransmission facility connected at the head end of the cable [whereby] such that a signal transmitted by at least one of the [MODEM's] MODEMs is received by the central retransmission facility and translated to the receive frequency [bandwidth] of the MODEM which transmitted said signal;
- and
- a channel bridge connected to the cable including two or more [MODEM's] MODEMs each of said [MODEM's] MODEMs having different [transmit frequency bandwidths] transmitting frequencies and different [receive frequency bandwidths] receiving frequencies than the other of said MODEMs in said channel bridge and including means for transferring [a signal] signals received by one of said MODEM's to another of said [MODEM's whereby the MODEM's] MODEMs in the channel bridge such that the MODEMs connected to the cable which are transmitting and receiving [in] at different [frequency bandwidths] frequencies may receive signals from and transmit signals to each other via the channel bridge .
A method of collision detection for data communication comprising the steps of:
- formating digital data by a transmitting node whereby a flag is inserted at the beginning of a transmission frame;
- broadcasting said transmission frame onto a cable;
- receiving said transmission frame by a central transmission facility;
- translating said transmission frame by said central retransmission facility to a receive frequency bandwidth;
- rebroadcasting said transmission frame in said receive frequency bandwidth onto said cable;
- receiving said flag of said transmission frame by said transmitting node;
- comparing said flag as received to said flag as transmitted to detect a collision of data;
- aborting the broadcasting of said transmission frame when a collision of data is detected;
- waiting a random time after detecting a collision of data;
- and
- rebroadcasting said transmission frame after waiting a random time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.