FI120225B - Method and system for asynchronously transferring data over a communication network - Google Patents

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATION IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

The invention relates to a method and a system for asynchronously transmitting data in a communication network. In particular, the invention relates to a system as disclosed in the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for asynchronously communicating data over a communication network as claimed in claim 20.

Different types of data communication solutions are very common today in different buildings such as commercial and residential buildings. The buildings include eg. 10 own cabling for communication methods used by television, computers, telephones, house automation, audio systems and other systems known in the art for data transmission. These systems thus have several different types of media, depending on the mechanical connection of the devices and systems or other requirements. However, many νίβει 5 connections may still be completely excluded.

There are clear problems with this. Among other things, installing many different types of cables and systems, as well as maintenance and modifications, is expensive and complicated. Such systems require • · * · ”* 20 many different types of sockets or access points to physically connect hardware and applications to a supporting data network. Some solutions and attempts to combine all data communication solutions in the same media are known in the art. However, these too are very complex and vulnerable systems, because they typically have a great deal of electronics to read, interpret, and transfer data items according to different protocols correctly. In addition, the more known the system. . ·. The solution in the method has different applications connected, • · · y. '.' more processor running the system requires computing power * ': ** and memory resources. Often, the complexity and operating principles of known systems • · 30 result in system overload and 'traffic jamming'.

• · · *

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution which can reduce the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. The object of the invention is to provide a general purpose communication system 2 from which the transmission capacity required for all types of communication applications can be deduced. Communication applications, such as LANs, audio equipment, telephone systems and antenna networks, have traditionally required the installation of separate cabling 5 for these applications. It is an object of the present invention, by means of software measures, to distinguish between a data transmission connection limited to a desired area, independent or connected to an external network. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide e.g. connecting the antenna network, the telephone network, the LAN and the home automation communication network, and connecting the equipment within the building 10, particularly within the building, so that communication is possible with a single cable or fiber or similar wireless arrangement regardless of the data transmission application.

The objects of the present invention are achieved by the system and method described in the independent claims.

The system of the present invention is characterized by what is set forth in the characterizing part of system claim 1.

The method of the present invention is characterized by what is set forth in the characterizing part of the method claim 20.

The system of the invention relates to data transfer asynchronously in a data transmission network, wherein the data transmission network comprises at least two nodes, namely at least one master node and at least one access node. The communication network further comprises at least one loop managed by the master node, to which the master node is adapted to generate in the loop: a basic data transfer frame (CF).

The loop has at least one connection node to which the connection node has at least one device, such as a TV, stereo, speaker, telephone, or computer. The device is connected to an application that provides devices with a data connection that allows the devices to communicate with each other or with an external network. According to one embodiment, the connection of the device may act as a plug-and-play • ♦ ♦. ·· ♦. * 30 trigger.

It is also characteristic of the invention that in a loop information is transmitted in one direction only in the basic transmission frame via at least one channel. The channel is typically a communication resource allocated to an application 3 times allocated to the transmission capacity of the communication network, which is typically allocated to the application when arranging or setting up the application.

In the system, the data unit to be transferred between the transmitting and receiving nodes is divided into slices to be transmitted at equal intervals of 5 times the size of a given data field, regardless of the data transmission protocol associated with the application. After slicing (or in some cases even during it), each slice of the sliced data unit is transferred to the recipient in a bit string independent of the communication protocol over the channel in the data field of the basic transport frame without transparently touching or reading the contents or structure of the data set. The length fields.

According to the invention, the interface circuit in the information transmitting node is adapted to output an electrical signal to be transmitted in the bit stream 15 transmitted in the communication network indicating the starting point of the data unit in the bit stream transmitted in the communication network. Said signal causes the receiving node to generate a timely electrical signal indicating the start of the bits belonging to the information unit in the receiving node's interface circuit, whereby the receiving node can pick up the origin of the assigned information unit in the transmitted bit stream.

• · · • · · ·

The invention has only a few general definitions of the nature of the data to be transmitted (Transmission Mode, TM). However, all of these transport modes have in common 1 .. * above, such as determining the starting point of a data unit.

However, the handling of transfer modes in buffers differs slightly.

The modes of the invention are as follows: ··· - TM1: Shared channel, packet end detection; - TM2: Shared channel, no packet end authentication; : - TM3: Standard frame length, free repetition rate, single transmitter; - TM4: Free frame length, free repetition rate, single transmitter; and • · · 30 - TM5: Point-to-Point P-P, free repetition rate, free frame length, but in most applications a constant repetition rate and frame length, a bidirectional connection between two points.

• · ·

Other possible modes may exist, but are not discussed in this document.

4

Said transmission modes are based on transparent transmission of the free length packet. They are characterized by the use of a spare bit (R-bit) in front of the channel. The first slice of the packet starts at the beginning of the information field used by the channel. Instead, the rest usually falls in the middle of a data field.

5 The end point is found in this document as described below. Transmission modes TM2-TM5 are special cases of TM1: the most common use of TM1 is the Ethernet application. In this transfer mode, the channel is shared (Ethernet has the original Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA / CD) protocol (= protocol) enabled). The transmitting user device is connected to the interface node. When the device transmits a packet, the Ethernet transmitter / receiver circuit of the interface node sets the '' Receive Data valid, Rxdv 'signal active. This signal is active until the end of the last bit of the packet. In this mode, the channel used by the application is preceded by an "" reservation bit ", an R-bit. The transmitter / receiver '' Data valid '' 15 signal sets the R bit to active (= 1) if the channel is free. For example, if the application has a transmission capacity of 1 Mbit / s, the channel data field in the transport frame (CF) is 16 data bits (because CF is repeated 64000 times per second).

The transmitting interface node fills in 16 "bit" slices "in 20 dedicated channels in successive basic transmission frames as long as the packet · **. ** ··· bits are sufficient. The last slice is usually not whole. The sender converts the R bit to zero in the last slice of the broadcast.

·: ··· When the R bit is zero for the first time after the charge, the channel will not. * ··. is not free and no access node will try to reserve the channel at that time.

·· · 25 by the method described above is transmitted timely information to the host · · · · * ... * end there to guide the Ethernet transmitter receiver circuit, a transmitter-side '' Transmit Enable, TXEN "signal space. Also, switching from one loop to another in the master node needs accurate information about the exact location of the end of the packet.

• · · • · 30 This method is possible from a five-bit (5x64 = 320kbit / s) channel forward. At smaller widths, the channel field indicated by the '' significant bits '' always contains the number of significant bits of the previous slice and no sign is required.

5 TM2 has a standard frame, so the rest of the pack in the last slice is aware of this. The R bit is only for channel allocation. TM3 is similar to TM2 but only one sender is allowed. TM3 has a standard frame, often with a constant repetition rate in practice. The R bit 5 is used, but only to find the beginning of the frame. Typical applications are for audio playback (eg CD format and S / PDIF).

TM4 is the same as TM1 but only one sender is allowed. A typical application is, for example, broadcasting TV channels. TM5 is basically the same as TM1, but in this mode the transfer is between two points. The R-bit usage is 10 the same as in TM1, but both dots terminate the incoming bit string and transmit if there is something to send. The R bit must not skip the join node as such, even if it is not to be transmitted. The repetition rate and frame length may be constant, but they may also vary. Typical applications include instant phones and video phones.

15 This patent application utilizes e.g. the following concepts: - '' Channel 'is a channel or resource assigned to an application in a basic transmission frame. The length of the channel may vary from zero to the size of the payload. All available capacities are on channel # 127 at any given time. Typically, for example, one TV channel (with a capacity of 2-5 Mbit / s) takes up one channel according to the invention. The Ethernet application is also a single channel.

- '' Device 'is any device connected to an interface node, such as a TV, speaker, CD player, telephone or computer. The device is connected to an application that. ···. defined below.

• · 25 - “Transparency” in the present invention means that the content or structure of the data set to be transferred is not touched, nor are any address or length fields.

- '' Mode 'is either transfer mode (TM1 to TM7) or internal mode SI or AS

(the modes are explained elsewhere in this document).

··· 30 - '' Basic Transfer Frame '' is a basic transfer unit used in the loop of the invention: a Carrier Frame, CF, which is repeated 64,000 or. '··] 8000 times per second.

• · - '' Limiter bit '(D) follows the charge bit (R) in the data stream over time. The limiter bit is only active when the channel basic transmission frame V-j 35 contains the last bits of the sliced data unit in its data field.

6 - "Loop" is a typical communication topology used by the invention. For security purposes, the lower level loop is divided into four segments which are also independent loops. According to the invention, the loop is managed by at least one node in the loop, main 5 nodes. of different levels (hierarchy) or the same level: Typically, the upper level loop has a total capacity of 1 Gbit / s at present, but it is clear that as technology advances this will increase, and note that the loop capacity may be doubled to 2 Gbit in the system. One higher level loop in the desktop typically has 1024 channels and the lower level loop 128, but it is also clear that the number of channels presented herein is exemplary and the invention is by no means limited to the aforementioned number of channels.

15 - '' Node 'is either an access node or a master node in a loop. The device is connected to the loop via an interface node. The master node, on the other hand, manages that loop.

- '' Application 'is always a data transfer application. Devices included in the application, such as the speakers of the audio system and their audio source, such as those equipped with a digital S / PDIF interface or, for example, a PC and its peripherals connected to a local area network (LAN) and connected to an external network. Typically, the application is automatically created (plug-and-play) on the user side by connecting the first **] device belonging to the application to an interface node. Arranging the transfer resources needed by external service providers requires the intervention of a person authorized to manage the (remote) system. The applications are completely autonomous and can be defined to encompass desired areas in any part of the building (or block, the various houses in the housing association). A large building can have thousands: 30 separate applications. You can make a new application because of this ··· space without interfering with other applications. One app usually needs one channel.

• · · - '' Data field '' is a field reserved for a channel in the basic transmission frame.

- A "data unit" (packet or frame) is a user data unit that is transferred between at least two devices in an application.

* · · ·. ·: - '' Reservation bit '(R) is the first time in the data stream to indicate whether said shared channel is currently busy or free. The reservation bit is associated with an alternative method of finding the end of the packet.

7 - '' Slice '' is a piece of data to be transferred in accordance with the invention from a transportable data set. The thickness of the slice depends on the transfer speed required in each case. According to the invention, the data unit is sliced into 1/64000 or 1/8000 second slices 5, i.e. slices.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the interface circuit of the data transmitting node is adapted to output another electrical signal to be transmitted in the bit stream transmitted in the communication network, indicating the length of the data unit. A signal indicating the length of the data unit is provided in the communication network 10 through the nodes of the communication network to at least one information receiving node, wherein the signal directs the receiving node to read the length of the target data unit to be transmitted.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the interface circuit of the data transmitting node is adapted to provide an output of a third electrical signal to be transmitted in the bitstream transmitted in the communication network indicating the end of the data unit in the bitstream transmitted in the communication network. Said signal causes the receiving node to generate a timely electrical signal indicating the end of the bits belonging to the information unit in the interface circuit of the receiving node, whereby the receiving node 20 can pick up the end of the assigned data unit in the transmitted bit stream.

[Alternatively, it is also possible that the interface of the node transmitting the data outputs a single signal indicating the starting point of the data unit: ···: in addition to the end of the data unit. Such a signal may be, for example, a RxDV (receive data valid) signal, which is typically active during the entire data unit transfer, i.e. the transfer of all slices. In isochronous transmission (e.g., pulse code modulated (PCM) of a telephone) a framing signal is used, which indicates only the beginning, but the data length is constant). Said signal is used to cause the receiving node to generate a real-time electrical signal indicating the beginning of the bits belonging to the information unit * I · 'l "·, and in addition a timely electrical signal indicating the end of the bits belonging to the information unit in the interface circuit of the receiving node. this node may extract the start and end points of the data unit assigned to it • · · ·. ·.: in the bit stream transmitted over the communication network.

• · · 8

According to one embodiment of the invention, the channel is shared by at least two devices, wherein the first bit preceding the time field of the data field is a reservation bit (R) indicating whether said shared channel is currently busy or idle.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the charge bit (R) is temporally followed by a stop bit (D) which is active only when the last bit of the sliced data unit is in the data field of the channel basic transfer frame.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the invention, a time after the stop bit (D) is a fixed number of bits (so many bits that they provide 10 data field lengths = significant bits) indicating the last bit of the slice data unit associated with the last sliced data unit in the data field amount.

Still further, according to an embodiment of the invention, the charge bit (R) is set to inactive only after the last bits associated with the sliced data unit have been transmitted in the next data field of the basic transport frame.

According to one embodiment of the invention, setting the charge bit (R) to inactive is arranged to cause the corresponding control signal to become inactive in the receiving node, such as to provide the Ether-20 net transceiver with a "transmit enable" signal.

··· • · · · · «

According to one embodiment of the invention, the stop bit (D) is set to active ···. sex only in the data field of the next basic data frame if the last bits of the sliced data unit do not fit in the data field of the basic data frame of the channel when the data indicating the last 25 slices of the last sliced data unit has been added (i.e., the data field), whereby the number of bits is indicated by a minus sign indicating that the information indicating the number of bits refers to the last received slice in time.

• · • · ·

According to an embodiment of the invention, the charge bit (R) is arranged to indicate the beginning of the data field of the sliced data unit to be transferred, in particular when the data unit to be transferred is a standard frame.

Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, the master node is adapted to schedule the transmission of the basic transport frame and fill its required fields with information provided by the different transmitting nodes and to copy the required fields from the basic transport frame arriving from the loop for re-transmission. The master node may also be adapted to combine and manage a plurality of loops into which the master node is adapted to generate a basic data transfer frame (CF) in the loops. Still further, according to an embodiment of the invention, the master node is adapted to connect a plurality of its managed loops to at least one higher-level loop into a larger system, the higher-level loop being managed by at least one higher-level associated master node. Also, according to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one master node managing the higher level loops may connect said loops and associated master nodes to at least one external data network.

Furthermore, according to the invention, it is also possible to change the transmission rate (Variable Bit Rate Support, VBR), for example in Video streaming mode, when the amount of data to be transmitted in a continuous stream changes. For example, a compressed TV channel broadcast has very little information when the picture is unchanged, or for example is mostly monochrome, which allows the use of downlink (VBR). Similarly, as Cuba changes or otherwise information increases, the transfer rate may be increased. In practice, VBR will only be deployed in the HLR, but is generally configurable. In the invention, the VBR - • · · additional attribute can be set to any transport mode, whereby the application neu-: T: negotiates with the master node the minimum and maximum channel length (number of bits ·: ··: in the channel).

• · · • «***: '25 Super Frame (MF) duration is 512 basic transfer frames (CF). Therefore, the first quarter (also referred to as a sub-superframe, SMF) includes: ··. ** the initial addresses of all 128 possible channels in CF as previously explained. In the second (or third) SMF, the transmitting node of the application using the VBR can write its own desired channel capacity at a point determined by its own channel number. The next MF. after a successful transfer (all have stated that they have received it correctly), a new bandwidth will be available for the channel.

• · • · ·

Furthermore, according to the invention, the correctness of the reception of the channel initial addresses can always be checked. The options are to add a parity bit 35 (CRC, Cyclic redundance check) or an error correction code. All options require a certain number of additional bits. Each node checks the correct reception of the initial addresses of its channels (e.g., the access node has 6 ports, each with its own channel) (i.e., once in the MF). If the node detects a bit error, it notifies the third channel of the SMF, number 127 (the last channel, since its parameter field is not needed for 5 other purposes) in the parameter field (where the first SMF contained the start addresses of each 128 channels). The master node still repeats this by changing these bits to number one in even the fourth SMF, since this also informs the access nodes in the loop before the error-detecting node. All interface nodes "know-10" then not to implement a new, just-shared channel configuration, but to wait for a new round.

Thus, in the invention, the capacity is allocated to the applications in a time division. In addition, the data transfer in the present invention is transparent. For example, the length field or address field of a user information unit is not read, but the data travels to the 15 areas defined for it as if there was a dedicated data transmission line in that area. Accordingly, the arrangement of the present invention should logically be understood as a wiring infrastructure that provides, for example, communication lines for a (single) LAN (or LAN segment) of a particular company, passing through the company premises (in any selected room in a large building). In the solution of the invention, only the devices connected to the system read the "wired" addresses, that is, no other components of the invention (except the higher level master node, which handles traffic from the system according to the invention to the external network). or length field information.

Thus, the basic idea of the invention can be extended to a larger system, whereby the invention may comprise, for example, two levels of hierarchy, the lower [Lower Level Ring (LLR)] and the higher [Higher Level Ring (HLR)]. ] level. The higher level can be used, for example, to combine; selected applications in the apartment or office to extend to the external network and 30 to each other. The lower level can be used to combine e.g. · !: between devices (eg 128 applications / apartment). The lower level typically consists of four loops, referred to as a segment, between which τ 'is coupled by applications via the master node of the loop.

• · • · ·

• M

Thus, a certain hierarchy is essential to the invention, whereby a plurality of independent, locally restricted or unrestricted data transfer applications can be created in which data transfer is transparent, ensuring that any data can be transferred, even one that has not yet been developed. For transmission, therefore, the invention defines a limited number of generally applicable transfer modes (explained in more detail below in the description of the invention) that allow any transmission protocol to be transferred between desired nodes (2 or more) in the system and returned to the recipient as it was at the entry point.

It should be noted that only some of the applications in use "" come out "of the apartments. For example, an application that combines speakers and a CD player or the like is at least normally confined to a room or at least an apartment. Instead, the office may be located on several floors. However, there may also be other offices on some floors. Office LANs are typically within the range of all office space available.

Indeed, the present invention provides unquestionable advantages over prior art solutions. The system of the invention achieves excellent security. In the nodes, the electronics process the data stream at an electronic logic level (not programmatically), so that no malfunction, congestion, or error in the microprocessor can affect the data propagation. In addition, since the invention treats all data in the same way as "" slice 20s ", regardless of their interpretation or format, different applications: * ··; the data transmission methods are truly '' transparent '' according to the idea of the invention, which • · · ensures that data transmission is prompt and that the system does not rely on decrypting, transforming and packing user data.

• · • · ·

In addition, the invention provides e.g. the following advantages: the amount of electronics required in the interface nodes is minimal, the data transmission does not require microproses-Sor processing, whereby the data transmission cannot be stuck in a program error, the system according to the invention can have countless different applications. luxurious and not obstructed by a lack of microprocessor performance, nothing. ·· *. new cables no longer need to be installed after the system of the invention * · * 30 has been installed, even if new hardware and data communication applications are added to the system of the invention, and devices can be connected to the system such as USB, Ethernet (10 / 100Base-T) or Bluetooth. - interfaces using, for example, UpnP (Universal Plug and Play) (proto-! ·! *: a colony that negotiates transfer resources and finds related devices, and · · · 35 can connect them to the right network).

12

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

In the following section, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with a little more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a first exemplary system for asynchronously transmitting data over a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 2A-C illustrate another exemplary system for asynchronously transmitting data over a communication network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 3 illustrates a third exemplary system for asynchronously transmitting data over a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. 4 illustrates an exemplary communication system-15 structure for asynchronously transmitting data in a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention, ... Figures 5A-E illustrate an exemplary buffer system for transmitting information asynchronously in a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention, 9

Figure 6 shows an exemplary arrangement of available information. . ·. channels between buffers in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. according to the ritual, • · ···

Fig. 7A-B illustrates an exemplary method of processing the information handled by slices in a node displayed in a node.

according to an embodiment of the invention, and • · · 1 J

Φ 9 · V *: Figure 8A-B illustrates some exemplary methods of transferring information between buffers and processing data at a node according to an embodiment of the present invention.

• · · • · 13

Figure 1 illustrates a first exemplary system 100 for transmitting information asynchronously in a communication network 102 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication network of Figure 1 comprises e.g. one upper-level master node 104, and additionally at least one loop 106a managed by the master node, to which the master node is adapted to generate a basic data transfer frame (CF, Fig. 4) in the loop. The communication network also comprises a plurality of lower-level (LLR) master nodes 108 associated with the master node-generated loop. The nodes 108 further comprise at least one loop 106b which they themselves administer, wherein said nodes 108 are master nodes of said loop 106b, i.e. In addition, the loop 106b may include a plurality of interface nodes 109 for connecting the devices 110 to the communication system. Devices 110 are associated with an application in which information transmitted by the devices or coming from an external network is transmitted between the devices belonging to the same application via a communication system according to the invention.

Note that the master node may also be adapted to combine and manage multiple loops. In addition, the master node, in particular the top-level master node, may, if necessary, connect its managed loops and lower-level master nodes and their managed lower-level loops to at least one non-one-to-one information network 112.

: * · *: The system according to the invention can be extended almost indefinitely. The loop structure can be duplicated into two loops in opposite directions, giving the advantage that the system can withstand • one complete cable break without interruption.

Figs. 2A-C show a typical loop 106b managed by the lower level master node 108. Typically, four loops managed by said master node 108 may be connected to the lower level master node 108; may include a certain number of interface nodes 109. Lower level management ···. the largest loops 106b may be mutually interleaved chains in which information moves uniquely to the last node and turns back there or duplicated loops. At present, it is typical of the invention that each loop can transfer data at 95 Mbit / s, i.e., four loops can transfer 380 Mbit / s per dwelling.

···· • ·

* · '*: Figure 2A shows two threaded loops 201, 202. Figure 2B

35 is a secured loop 203 that can withstand one complete cable break 14. Fig. 2C, in turn, shows an interface node 108 having two ports under the cover for connecting temperature required by house automation, twilight, burglar alarm, etc. sensors and actuators 204, such as relays, and digital-to-analog converters. These can be connected to 5 separate automation systems for each apartment or to a common system for the entire house. According to one embodiment, the interface can be programmatically converted to a plurality of standardized interfaces.

Fig. 3 shows a system 300 managed by one lower level master node 108 having three separate loops 301, 302, 303, of which loops 10 301 and 303 are threaded and loop 302 is a secured loop. The loop sizes include interface nodes 109 to which various devices 110 are connected, such as a PC, a TV, and a telephone. It should also be noted that some elements essential to house automation, such as temperature sensors 204, are also connected to the connection nodes.

The interface node 109 is characterized by an interface circuit 109a which, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, provides various signals (described elsewhere in this document) e.g. to indicate the beginning and / or end points of the information and the length information.

Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary communication system structure. 20,400 for asynchronously transferring data over a communication network in accordance with the present embodiment of the present invention, wherein the structure is a loop *** | a basic data transfer frame generated by the master master node 400.

In accordance with the invention, the basic transmission frame is divided into channels, such as 128 channels.

• · · • · · · · ·. ···. It is characteristic of the invention that in a loop, information is transmitted in one direction only in the basic transmission frame 400 via at least one channel 3, 7, 11, 12, 13, 23, 25, 127. Unidirectional is to be understood as meaning that the basic transmission frame "" moves "clockwise, such that information is available in points **: · * in paths A, B, C in their respective order.

30 It should be noted, however, that between points A, B, and C, data may be provided arbitrarily, that is to say, A may provide information \ for example to point C, and information from point C may be transmitted back to point A, i.e. between two points “in two directions”.

15

The channel is typically an application-specific communication resource separated from the transmission capacity of the communication network by time division, which is assigned to the application when it is established, typically by connecting the first application-related device to a loop interface node. According to one embodiment of the invention, the length of each channel may vary from ΟΙ 441 units, with a transmission capacity of 64 units per second, and a basic transmission frame orbits the loop 64,000 times per second. Channel lengths can be changed at any time without disturbing other traffic. The basic transfer frame typically fills the loop completely.

10 In the example of Figure 4, some of the channels 0-25 are in use and the rest are inactive, so that their length is zero. Channel 127 has all unused capacity from other channels. When a new device is connected to the access node, it is automatically connected to channel 127, whereupon, for example, the master node assigns an appropriate channel to that application based on messages sent by the new device 15. For example, when an application is a TV (the device must have an Ethernet connection or a digibox equipped with one must be used), it connects when connected to an interface node to the channel initially used by the PCs.

The master node routes the traffic transmitted by the TV to the higher level master node 20, which identifies the desired service provider (if any). Subsequently, the lower level master node arranges its own channel (resource: T) for TV (2-5Mbit / s). The capacity is reduced from the resource of PCs.

·: ··· The lower level master node connects the apartment to the channel reserved for this TV. (resource) to the upper level loop channel (resource) to which the parent. *] ·. The 25-level master node inputs the desired TV channel data. The upper-level master node arranges a new channel (from the resource loop) to the upper-level sil - ***** if that TV channel is not already watched in the house. In the room, each open TV receives its own channel (resource) in the loop. : · | ·: According to one embodiment, if the apartment (or the TV connected to one of the connection nodes in the loop) already watches a particular TV channel (eg TV1) and another TV is connected to the loop to watch the same TV channel. ! (here TV1), the master node may provide said TVs with the same channel (resource) loop to save transmission capacity.

··· ····: * · · Connecting an analogue phone to an interface node typically requires an adapter ♦ · 35. When the adapter is connected to an interface node, it will initially connect to the channel used by the PCrides. The lower level master node recognizes the call signal transmitted by the adapter and provides its own channel, typically a 64 kbit / s (resource), for the connection. The lower-level master node connects the apartment-level channel in the upper-level loop to the dedicated channel. This is the so-called. a group channel or resource, which is 5 single channels but contains its own internal resource for each phone in the house. The gateway in the higher-level master node converts the call to an IP call (VoIP) over the public network.

Figures 5A-E illustrate an exemplary buffer system 500 for asynchronously transmitting data over a communication network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A shows an example of a buffer structure 500 used in a lower level master node, typically having eight internal buffers 502, 504 (two for each loop in an arrangement with four loops) and three external buffers 506, 508, 510. External buffers Biext and Boext 506 serve as buffers between the 15 master nodes and the upper-level loop, from which information in the upper-level loop is received in the Biext 506, and information is provided to the upper-level loop in the Boext 508. The eB 510 buffer serves as a multi-loop buffer managed by said lower level master node. Four of the internal buffers are input buffers (Input Buffer, Bin 20 (n = 0.1,2,3)) and four are output buffers (Output Buffer, Bon (n = 0,1,2,3)). For the sake of clarity, only two internal buffers are shown in Figure 5A.

• · • · • · ·

Figure 5B (1) illustrates an example of a first input buffer 502 BIO reading the information contained in a basic transfer frame circulating in a lower level loop. The information is read, as the case may be, for each of the 25 loops in its own buffer BiO, Bi1, Bi2, Bi3, which, however, are similar to each other. Fig. 5B (2) illustrates a principle view of the operation of the input • ♦ * ··· * buffer 502. It is conceivable that buffer 502 has two interchangeable halves 502a, 502b (swap1, swap2), one of which may receive information and the other may already be fully received. The input buffer 30 can be written sequentially, but its halves 502a, 502b.% Can be read in free order. Typically, the pointer has 64 pointers (pointer). This limits the number of active channels in the loop * ': ** to 64, but it should be noted that this can be changed according to known buffer principles in the art.

Figure 5C shows an example of a first output buffer 504 BoO from which data is transmitted to a basic transport frame 17 circulating in the lower level loop. The output buffer can be written in free order and read in channel order, but, for example, the entire data structure of the isochronous channels must be stored in the output buffer. Therefore, each channel that is active in the loop has its own pointer. The output buffer 5 of the example has 64 read and write pointers, i.e., a maximum of 64 channels or groups of channels (consecutive, similar channels being processed as one channel) can be active in the loop.

Figure 5D shows an example of the external buffer for e-510 (External Buffer). The data-10 bus in the example buffer is 8-bit, so it can serve all four lower-level loops in a time-multiplexed manner (data transfer between internal buffers is 1-bit). All shared transport methods use an external buffer because in the next loop, the channel may be busy. While waiting for release, several packets may accumulate in the queue. Therefore, each Chicken-15 Frequency Buffer (Channel Buffer, CB) has 8 layers (LayerO to Layer7) each holding one packet.

Figure 5E illustrates an example of external traffic input and output buffers 506, 508 (Buffer for External Traffic, Biext, Boext), organized in a manner similar to eB but with only one channel buffer (CB) per active channel 20 (eB: four because there are four loops).

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It should be noted that the invention utilizes two internal modes that determine whether data is limited to one segment (SI) • · ..... or to all four (All Segments, AS). The reason for introducing these is that completely free switching inside the master node is not possible. This would result in • · · *;!; * 25 complex switching that would make the circuit either impossible or at least well * ···: difficult to implement. However, the channel number always applies to all four loops. The channel in Sl mode also allocates a number to those · · · loops where it is not active (and does not reserve capacity). The channel in Sl mode can be read directly from the upper-level loop or from the external network 30. This possibility exists e.g. Because of TV applications.

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Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary arrangement 600 of available data paths between buffers according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thicker arrows represent only the possible roads in Sl mode.

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Vertical transfers between internal buffers are on a 1-bit data bus, 35 others on 8-bit.

18

Fig. 7A illustrates an exemplary method of processing slice data at a node according to an embodiment of the present invention, in particular in TM1 mode. In the picture, slice 4 (Slice # 4) of the packet to be transferred is arriving at the master node. It is loaded into a 5 eB infill layer (Layer) that holds the entire package.

In this example, the sequence began when the k.o. the channel R bit was first active (R = 1). From then on, slices coming in will be loaded into the free layer in turn. No internal buffers are drawn in the image, through which the bits move between the lower level loop and the eB. At the same time the picture shows a released k.o. channel in the next segment and layer 0 (Layer 0) is transmitting slices 0 to loop 2. Thus, four Ethernet packets had to wait for release. Most preferably, the layer is reserved so large that it can accommodate the largest data unit in question, which in the case of Ethernet is 1560 bytes.

Fig. 7B illustrates an exemplary case 702 of processing slice data at a node in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, particularly in TM1 mode. The example packet has 151 bytes, which is 1208 bits. The slice is 15 bits in the figure, whereby 80 slices are 1200 bits, and as a result, the entire packet of 1208 bits 8 20 remains in the last slice. Thus, the last slice of the packet has an R-bit of 0 for the first time and starts with a number indicating the number of valid bits, i.e. the number of bits in the packet, if the number is positive. If the number is negative, the last ones. the bits in the package were already in the previous slice.

♦ · »·· 25 The number is stored in the" Valid Bits Count "register and the" Bit Counter "remains, indicating the first free space in the buffer. The number field in the last slice must be long enough to accommodate the slice: maximum length.

• ** In TM2 mode, the processing is otherwise the same as in Figures 7A and 7B, but "Valid Bit Count" is disabled and '' Bit Counter '' is standard (set by application). -: **]: When enabled, TM3 (single sender) requires no external buffer and allocates one slice of internal buffer (Bo). The packet goes immediately to the next loop (resulting in a standard delay). "Bit * · Counter 'is standard and' 'Valid Bit Count' is not used in TM3.

19 TM4 is a special case of TM1 (one sender). Data processing is similar to TM1, but no external buffer is required. Two slices of space are allocated to the internal buffer (Bo), since the second last slice can only be transmitted after the last slice appears, being -5 or the last last slice incomplete. In TM4, the delay is constant but one basic cycle (1/64000 seconds) greater in TM3. In TM4, '' Bit Count '' and '' Valid Bit Count '' are enabled.

TM5 is associated with a bidirectional connection between two nodes, where processing at the master node is similar to TM4.

FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary method 800 for transmitting data between buffers and processing data in a node according to an embodiment of the present invention, particularly in TM1 transport mode and AS mode, i.e., a mode of transmitting data between all loops.

15 In the example, the transmitting application (Source AN) is in loop 1. The slice is immediately sent back to its own loop so that any devices associated with the access nodes before the sender can read it. In addition, the slice is copied to the next loop via eB. However, the data stream is terminated 802 in this mode before returning to loop 1. The Sl-20 mode differs from that shown in Fig. 8A in that in the Sl mode, no data is copied to the following loop.

8B illustrates another exemplary method 804 for transferring information between buffers and processing data at a node: in particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, TM5-. ···. 25 in transfer mode and AS mode, the mode in which data is transferred between all loops. In this example (unlike the previous one), the data stream circulates all loops and encounters along the way the other party of the connection that terminates 806 (overwrites it if it has to send). The differences can be seen in the picture with the check box (806) and the fact that there are two senders (Source 30 AN1, Source AN2), which of course are also recipients. There is no difference in the Sl mode compared to the example (TM1 mode) of Figure 8A (arrow 808 only, i.e., · · · \ data does not come out of the loop).

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Several communication protocols (PDH, Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (ITU-T G.703, G.704) and SDH, Synchronous Digital Hierarchy 20 (G.707-709)) are known as so-called. superframe (multiframe) for transmitting slowly changing data at intervals such that the superframe is made up of a multiple of the actual (8000 times per second) frame (e.g., 32). A field in the superframe is concatenated to frame-5 sex. Likewise, in the present invention, during the 512 frames, the starting addresses of the fields of each of the 128 channels are transmitted in 128 consecutive basic carrier frames (Carrier Frame, CF), which are typically repeated 64,000 times per second. Note that the superframe (MF) can also have other parameters.

The above PDH and SDH are isochronous protocols and transmit a standard frame at constant intervals (8000 times per second).

Only some embodiments of the solution according to the invention are shown above. The principle of the invention can, of course, be modified within the scope of the claims, for example with respect to details of the embodiment 15 and areas of use. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is based on Ethernet-compliant electrical components, transceivers, connectors, cables, optical fibers, and signal levels, formats, and frequencies are Ethernet-compliant, with the physical layer of the OSI model being Ethemeti, but the second layer (link layer) is the invention. However, the invention is also adaptable to the requirements of other possible communication systems and / or standards. The user interface of the user is also shown above, as an example the Ethernet interface. The interface can also be USB, for example.

. ···. For example, the connection may be replaced by a Bluetooth wireless link.

Because transmission through the nodes of the invention is transparent and the delays are constant, retransmission cannot be performed in the event of errors. However, user data can go through quite a few nodes: and bit errors can occur. Therefore, an error ···: *** can be added to all transport formats. heenkorjauskoodi. The repair is done at the slice level. This increases the need for capacity 30 by a few bits. Repair will be implemented as needed. Au- ♦ · · * · diode and video applications do not rarely suffer from frequent errors.

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Claims (20)

21 A system (100) for transmitting information asynchronously in a communication network (102), the communication network comprising at least two nodes (104, 108), namely at least one master node (104, 108) and at least one access node (108,109), the communication network further comprising at least one loop (106a, 106b) to which the master node of the loop is adapted to generate a basic data transfer frame (400) in the loop, the loop comprising at least one access node (109) to which the access node is associated with at least one device (110); to which the application is assigned a loop channel, and wherein the loop transmits data in one direction in the basic transmission frame via at least one channel (3, 7, 11, 12,13, 23, 25,127), wherein the channel is a time allocated to the application transmission capacity of the transmission network; transferable data the unit is subdivided into slices that are transmitted at equal intervals in the size of a data field defined for the channel, characterized in that at least two nodes (104, 108, 109) between, each slice of the sliced data unit is transmitted to the recipient in a data transmission independent of the protocol: ···: in the data field of the basic transport frame, without transparently touching the contents of the data set to be transferred; and without reading any of its possible address or length fields, and • · · · · · · ***, whereby the interface circuit (109a) in the information transmitting node is adapted to output the first power transmitted in the bit stream to be transmitted in the data transmission network. rope signal to indicate the origin of the information unit. · *. ·. In a transmission bit stream of 30 transmission networks, said first electrical signal is adapted to control the receiving node to form a 22-bit, timely electrical signal indicating the start of bits belonging to the information unit in the receiving node interface circuit (109a). The system of claim 1, wherein the interface (109a) of the information transmitting node is adapted to output another electrical signal to be transmitted in the bit stream transmitted in the communication network, indicating the length of the data unit, and the system being adapted to transmit said second electrical signal in at least one information-receiving node, said second electrical signal being adapted to control the receiving node to read the length of the target data unit to be transmitted. The system of claim 1, wherein the information transmitting node interface circuit (109a) is adapted to output a third electrical signal to be transmitted in the bit stream transmitted in the communication network, an end-to-end electrical signal in the receiving node interface circuit. The system of claim 1, wherein said first electrical signal is adapted to indicate not only the origin of the information unit but also the end of the information unit in a bit-stream transmitted over a communication network, said first electrical signal being then adapted to control * the receiving node to form a timely electronic signal indicating the start of: 25 unit bits, and a further timely electrical signal indicating the end of the bits belonging to the information unit in the receiving node interface circuit. The system of claim 1, wherein said channel is: shared by at least two devices (110), wherein the first bit preceding the data field in time • »·; · * 30 is a charge bit (R) indicating whether said *: ·· : Shared channel currently busy or free. • The system of claim 5, wherein the charge bit (R) is temporarily followed by a stop bit (D) that is only active when the slice data unit is in the data field of the 23 basic transmission frames of the channel. last bits. The system of claim 6, wherein the time bit after the stop bit (D) is a fixed number of bits indicating the number of last bit significant bits associated with the portable slice data unit in the data field reserved for the channel assigned to the basic transport frame application. The system of claim 6, wherein the charge bit (R) is deactivated only after transmission of the last bits associated with the sliced data unit in the next data field 10 of the basic transport frame. The system of claim 8, wherein setting the charge bit (R) to inactive is arranged to cause the corresponding control signal to become inactive at the receiving node. The system of claim 7, wherein the stop bit (D) is set to active only in the data field of the next basic transport frame if the last slices of the sliced data unit do not fit in the data field of the channel basic transport frame when the data indicating the number of bits of the last sliced data unit forward, whereby the number of bits is indicated by a minus sign, indicating that the information indicating the number of bits relates to ···: ...: in time, the previous slice received. «·« • ♦ · »« · The system of claim 5, wherein the reservation bit (R) is ..... arranged to indicate the beginning ** of the data field of the sliced data unit to be transferred: particularly when the data unit to be transported is a standard frame. • · · »» · A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the master node is arranged to schedule the transmission of the basic transport frame and fill it with the required fields by the information provided by the various nodes transmitting the information. do and copy from the basic transport frame arriving from the loop the necessary fields for re-transmission to the loop. • · ·; ··· 30 A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the master node is adapted to combine and manage a plurality of loops to which the master node is adapted to generate *. **: basic transfer frame (CF) in the loops. 24 The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the master node is adapted to connect a plurality of its managed loops to at least one higher-level loop into a larger system, the higher-level loop being managed by at least one master-node associated with the higher loop. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one higher-level loop management master node connects said loops and associated master nodes to at least one external information network. The system of claim 1, wherein the application is any of the following: TV, audio system, imaging system, system consisting of at least one computer and / or computer peripheral, and a telephone system. The system of claim 1, wherein the data rate is varied (Variable Bit Rate) as the amount of data to be transferred changes as a function of time. The system of claim 1, wherein the node comprises at least two buffers (502, 504) per at least one lower level loop managed by said node, one being an input buffer (502) and the other being an output buffer (504), and at least three separate buffers. (506, 508, 510), of which at least two (506, 508) are between said node and the · · · upper-level loop to which said node is connected, receiving information from said upper-level loop and supplying information to said ·: ··: a higher-level loop, and of which at least one of the external buffers: ***: (510) is arranged as a buffer between at least two loops → 1: 25 managing said node. The system of claim 18, wherein the buffer already has its own pointer for the channel. • · • · • · ·. A method for transmitting information asynchronously in a communication network (102), the communication network comprising at least two nodes (104, 108), namely at least one master node (104, 108) and at least one access node (108,109), 25 communication networks further comprising at least one loop (106a, 106b) managed by the master node, to which the master node generates a basic transmission frame (400) for transmitting information in the loop, the loop comprising at least one access node (109) to which The remainder being associated with at least one device (110) associated with the application to which the application is assigned a loop channel, and wherein the loop transmits data in one direction in the basic transmission frame via at least one channel (3, 7, 11, 12,13, 23, 25,127); wherein the channel is a time division separated from the transmission capacity of the communication network for 10 applications resource, the method of dividing the data unit to be transmitted into slices that are transmitted at equal intervals in the size of a given data field to a channel, characterized in that when transferring data according to any communication protocol associated with said application between at least two nodes (104, 108, 109) each slice to the recipient in a data bit independent of the communication protocol through that channel in the data field of the basic transmission frame, transparently without touching the content or structure of the data set to be transmitted and reading its 20 possible address or length fields; - ..... to be transmitted in bit stream to be transmitted in data communication network **: first electrical signal indicating start of data unit in the bit stream to be transmitted in the data * :: *. * transmission network, said first electric • · '···' 25 signals being adapted to control the receiving node to form an electrical signal indicating the beginning of the bits in the earth's information unit. in a node interface circuit (109a). • · · · · · · · · ·: · · · ·: Patentkrav 30 • ·