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Abstract

A local area network having fault detection and recovery and a method for detecting and recovering from faults in a local area network are disclosed. The network has modules interconnected by a token bus implemented by a pair of redundant cable systems. All of the modules are agent modules and one of the modules also serves as a master module. Each agent module periodically transmits an agent heartbeat signal on each of its cables. Each module monitors all of the agent heartbeat signals from all of the other modules. When a fault is detected by a module, such as missed agent heartbeat signals from another module, the module applies agent rules to determine if and how the fault should be reported. The agent module reports the fault to the master module. The master module collects fault reports from the agent modules, applies a set of master rules to the agent fault reports, and generates a master failure report. The master module also initiates an appropriate network recovery action based upon the failure report generated. The master module periodically transmits a master heartbeat signal on the token bus which is received by the agent modules. The agent modules decode the master heartbeat signal to ensure that a master module is always present on the token bus.

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First Claim