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:
Dec. 03, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 26, 1996
Timothy G. Gilbert, Vermillion, SD (US);
Istvan Fekete, Dakota Dunes, SD (US);
Jeffrey Schindler, Sioux City, IA (US);
Gateway, Inc, Poway, CA (US);
Abstract
A ring-ordered dynamically reconfigurable computer network utilizing an existing communications system. The network comprises a plurality of nodes. Each node is coupled to the existing communications system by two data channels and a control channel. The network is established by each data channel of each node connecting operably to a data channel of another node. All the nodes are ordered in a ring. The control channel of each node is operably connected to the switch of the existing communications system. The network also comprises a network manager to establish the network, facilitate communication among the nodes, and dynamically reconfigure the network without disturbing communication among the nodes. Optionally, each node connects to the network only when it actually needs to communicate with another node.