Importance

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Abstract

A communication system, medium adapter (10) for use therewith, and methods are provided which permit standard ring network transmission media (15) to support both ring and bus communication topologies and protocols, which may be selectively adapted to differing topologies and protocols without physical modification. Means (50) are provided for permitting each medium adapter (10) to maintain a continuous ring communication path in a quiescent state, and to break the ring and establish bus communication both originating and terminating at the transmitting adapter in a transmit state. The medium adapter provided may be used with existing 802.5 token-ring dual twisted pair wiring (19), while supporting existing 802.3 CSMA/CD, 802.4 token bus, or 802.5 token-ring interface hardware, among others.

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First Claim