Burroughs, Inc.

Ryn C Corbeil

Michael A Malcolm

David M Bryant

Donald R Thompson

Lawrence D Rogers

This disclosure relates to a system and method for the synchronization of variable-length messages being transmitted between stations of a local area contention network where the messages are made up of a variable number of fixed-length packets. This system is adapted for automatic address assignment of different stations of the network so that the network may be expanded or contracted by adding stations and removing stations respectively. In this manner, a very reliable network is provided in that the failure of any particular station does not interfere with the functioning of the other stations in the network or the network itself. In addition, the system includes provision for associating various server stations with a given procedure so that a client station may broadcast a request for a procedure and corresponding server stations will send the response to the client station containing the network identification of the server station. If two or more stations contain the particular procedure called for, the first one to respond to the client station is selected.

Expandable and contractible local area network system

System and method for name-lookup in a local area network data

This disclosure relates to a system and method for the synchronization of variable-length messages being transmitted between stations of a local area contention network where the messages are made up of a variable number of fixed-length packets. This system is adapted for automatic address assignment of different stations of the network so that the network may be expanded or contracted by adding stations and removing stations respectively. In this manner, a very reliable network is provided in that the failure of any particular station does not interfere with the functioning of the other stations in the network or the network itself. In addition, the system includes provision for associating various server stations with a given procedure so that a client station may be broadcast a request for a procedure and corresponding server stations will send the response to the client station containing the network identification of the server stations. If two or more stations contain the particular procedure called for, the first one to respond to the client station is selected.

Growing community of inventors

Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Ryn C Corbeil