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:
Oct. 30, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 21, 1999
Yuji Mizuguchi, Kyoto, JP;
Takahisa Sakai, Amagasaki, JP;
Toshihisa Ikeda, Kyoto, JP;
Kenichi Moriguchi, Neyagawa, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A network system comprises a main loop in which one master node which issues a token packet for data communication, and at least one slave node are connected in a loop; a first sub loop in which the master node, one sub-master node, and at least one slave node are connected in a loop; and at least one second sub loop in which the master node, at least two sub-master nodes including the sub-master node of the first sub loop, and at least one slave node are connected in a loop. In this network system, each node has an analysis execution unit which performs analysis of the token packet, control of data transmission and data reception, and a switch for changing the connection. When each node receives and analyzes the token packet, it controls the switch so as to output, transmit, or discard the token packet and a data packet. Therefore, addition of nodes and loops is facilitated while maintaining the transmission efficiency, without increasing the packet transmission time.