The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1982
Filed:
May. 01, 1980
Michael A Malcolm, Del Mar, CA (US);
Mark L Gerhold, West Chester, PA (US);
Gary W Hodgman, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Marshall M Parker, San Diego, CA (US);
Lawrence D Rogers, Del Mar, CA (US);
John E Spracklen, San Diego, CA (US);
Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
This disclosure relates to a station for a data transmission network which is adapted to operate in a cyclic mode for contending for access to the network channel along with other stations of the network. The three states of the cycle are the idle state, the packet-being-transmitted state and the acknowlegement period state. Each station will not begin transmission until it determines that the channel is in an idle state. Once the station has determined that the channel is idle, it will then delay for a period of time that is randomly chosen and, if the channel is still idle, will then begin transmission. In this way, contention conflicts between stations is minimized without unduly restricting communication between stations. Following transmission, the channel will again be quiescent a short period of time before the acknowledgement signal is transmitted from the receiver. Each packet of data to be transmitted is of a fixed length so as to provide for synchronization between various stations contending for access to the channel.