Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating synchronous and asynchronous data among multiple devices which are connected by a common network or a set of connected networks using a network communications protocol which provides deterministic, bounded latency. Transmitting and receiving devices communicate asynchronous data signals using data packets in accordance with the communications protocol in use by the system. If synchronous data signals must be communicated between two devices the transmitting device sends asynchronous data signals to the receiving device(s) to indicate that synchronous data will follow, and to inform the receiving device(s) of the transmitting device's address. The receiving device sets up a message filter which looks for and accepts data packets bearing a destination address field value equal to the address of the transmitting device. The transmitting device converts the synchronous data into one or more data packets bearing a destination address field value equal to the transmitting device's own address, and transmits the data packets over the network. The receiving device receives the data packets and reassembles them back into a synchronous data signal. Optionally, the transmitting and receiving devices may bypass normal error checking routines when communicating synchronous data. If multiple receiving devices are to receive the same synchronous data signal, they can each configure a filter to receive the synchronous data packets bearing the transmitting device's address in the destination address field. Thus, the transmitting device needs to send the data packets only one time, rather than sending duplicate data packets to several receiving devices.

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