At&t Bell Laboratories

Mark L Blood

David Michael Rouse

Allen D Fergeson

Joseph W Darnell

A data communication network comprising ring transmission paths (0,1) interconnecting ring interface nodes (2) arranged to propagate data along the ring transmission paths between data systems (6) coupled with the ring interface nodes. Each node has apparatus (210) coupled with ones of the ring transmission paths and data systems for receiving and temporarily storing bytes of data. Receiving structure (211) of the node enabled by predefined ones of data bytes appearing at an input of the receiving and temporarily storing apparatus derives information defining node dispose of the data and generates a disposition available signal. Transmitting structure (212) responsive to a first one of the predefined data bytes appearing at an output of the receiving and temporarily storing apparatus and enabled by the generated disposition available signal resets the disposition available signal generating structure and controls the ring interface node to receive the remaining bytes of data and disposition of the data in accordance with the derived disposition information at a transmitting rate independent of the rate of receiving incoming data.

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Columbus, OH, United States of America

Mark L Blood