Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for transmitting in multi-channel fault-tolerant networks with bus, star, ring or mixed topology and multi-priority medium capacity distribution by medium idle time monitoring and changing station access numbers. Each station is connected with one or a plurality of communication channels and is assigned a unique set of initial access numbers. The current access numbers of each station are changed when a frame appears on the medium and restored to the initial values after transmission or reception of a network synchronization signal. Each station has a timer to monitor the idle time period when all input access lines of the station are quiescent. The timer starts when the medium becomes idle and stops if the medium becomes busy. When the timer of a station reaches a predetermined value representative of the station's current access numbers and the network time slot, the station is given access to the medium to start frame transmission during an access window of a given length. If the timer reaches a predefined value, representative of the station's current access numbers, total number of initial access numbers used in the network, and the network time slot, the station has to transmit a network synchronization signal. Each station retransmits received data to output channels.

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First Claim