BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to computer networks in which a plurality of stations have respective input and output ports that are serially coupled together in a loop; and more particularly, it relates to methods of operating the stations in the network such that both isochronous information (e.g., periodic voice samples) and nonisochro¬ nous data (blocks of characters in a computer data bank) are efficiently and simultaneously transferred between the stations.

In the past, various methods and protocols have been used to transmit messages from one station to another in a computer network of the type referred to above. How¬ ever, a problem with transmitting both voice samples and data characters in a single network is that they have totally different bandwidth requirement's, latency require¬ ments, and integrity requirements.

Voice requires a small bandwidth over a long time duration. High quality voice can be transmitted in a band¬ width of only 64 kilobits per second; but the bandwidth must be available for the entire duration of a conversa- tion. Typically, a telephone conversation lasts several minutes.

Data, on -the other hand, requires a large band¬ width for a short time duration. For example, data that is read by a computer from a disk or RAM memory for transmis- sion can be read at millions of bits per second. At that rate, an entire block of data can be transmitted in only a few seconds.

As to the latency requirement, voice samples must be generated and received at regular intervals. Any laten- cy between source and destination must remain constant in order to avoid distortion of pitch and tone. Further, due to the characteristics of public carriers, it is necessary that voice destined to travel on such a public carrier reach that carrier with a latency of no more than one millisecond; otherwise, echo is introduced into the conversation.

Computer data, by comparison, can be delayed in a station before its transmission for several minutes. Also, the time delay between consecutive blocks of a multiblock transmission from a station can vary from one block to the next.

As to the integrity requirement, a voice sample can occasionally be delivered to a receiving station in a corrupted form; or it may not be delivered at all. Such an occasional error will not be detectable by a person that listens to the reconstructed voice at the receiving sta¬ tion. Thus there is no need to retransmit a voice sample that has been delivered in error.

On the other hand, dropping just a single bit in a block of computer data during its transmission from one

station to another generally is intolerable. Consequently, each block of computer data generally has error check codes appended to it. Also, a response is generally sent by the station, that receives a data block back to the transmitting station indicating the condition in which the data block was received.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a method of operating the stations in a computer network which enables both voice and data to be simulta- neously transmitted between the stations of a computer network while satisfying all of the above-described con¬ flicting requirements of bandwidth, latency, and integrity. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of transmitting both isochronous and nonisochronous data through the stations of a computer network in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of: transmitting data characters of a nonisochronous frame from a first station in said network; passing the data characters from the first station through a second station in the network while inserting a pair of control characters between any two data characters indicating the beginning and end of an isochronous frame within the nonisochronous frame; passing the data characters and control characters from the second station through a third station on the net¬ work while inserting another internally generated isochro¬ nous data character between the pair of control characters; temporarily stopping the transmitting step in the first station in response to the receipt of at least one of the control characters to pass the isochronous frame through the first station; and proceeding, in the first station, with the trans¬ mitting of the nonisochronous frame after passing said isochronous frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features and advantages of the invention are described in the Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a computer network in which the present invention is carried out;

Figure 2 shows the details of a station RT in Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the details of stations SI, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6 in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 illustrates the steps by which the stations of Figures 2 and 3 operate in the network of Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to Figure 1, there is illustrated a computer network 10 which is comprised of a plurality of stations SI, S2, S3, RT, S4, S5, and S6♦ Each of the stations has an input port 11 and an output port 12; and they are serially coupled together via a coupling 13 to form a communication loop. Ports 11 and 12 may respec¬ tively receive and transmit signals in a bit serial fashion or in a parallel fashion. Also, coupling 13 may suitably be electrical or optical.

A diagram of station RT is shown in Figure 2. This station initiates transfers of "real time" isochronous data frames around the network 10; hence it is labeled with the letters RT. Isochronous frames from station RT occur at regular period time intervals; and they "interrupt" any other data transfers that may be occurring on network 10 at the same time. That is, isochronous frames from station RT temporarily stop and override any other data transfers that may be occurring on network 10.

In Figure 2, input port 11 is a bit serial conduc¬ tor which couples through a receiver 20 to a shift register 21. Shift register 21 has a serial output which couples to

an input 22a of a multiplexer 22; and the output of multi¬ plexer 22 is coupled through a transmitter 23 to output port 12. Thus, a data path is formed by components 11, 20, 21, 22a, 22, 23, and 12 which pass data from input port 11 to output port 12 of station RT with a delay which those components impose. In one specific embodiment, register 21 stores one character (8 bits), and thus imposes a delay of eight bit periods.

Shift register 21 also has its output coupled to the input of another shift register 24 which in turn has its output coupled to another input 22b of multiplexer 22. Thus, a second data path is formed through station RT by components 11, 20, 21, 24, 22b, 22, 23, and 12. This second data path has a delay which is longer than the previously described data path due to the presence of shift register 24. In one specific, embodiment, register 24 stores four characters (32 bits), and thus imposes a delay of thirty-two bit periods.

Also included in station RT is a detection circuit 25, a timer circuit 26, and a control circuit 27. Circuit 25 monitors the contents of shift register 21 to detect the presence of a special control character E. Upon detecting an E character, circuit 25 signals control circuit 27. Another signal to control circuit 27 is provided by timer 26. It signals circuit 27 periodically at a predetermined frequency.

Control circuit 27 has three outputs 27a, 27b, and 27c. Clock signals are generated on output 27a to shift , data through shift register 24. A pair of isochronous frame control signals S and E are respectively written into the beginning and end of shift register 24 by a control signal on output 27b. And multiplexer control signals are generated on output 27c and sent to multiplexer 22 to select one of the multiplexer inputs 22a and 22b.

In a quiescent state, controller 27 generates signals on its output 27c which pass data from input port 11 to output port 12 along path 20, 21, 22a, and 23. Subsequently, when timer 26 generates one of its periodic timing signals, circuit 27 generates the S and E characters respectively in the beginning and end of shift register 24. Thereafter, circuit 27 passes data from the input port to the output port along path 20, 21, 24, 22b, 22, and 23 until circuit 25 detects a E character in shift register 21. Then circuit 27 reverts back to its quiescent state. How this operation fits into the overall operation of network 10 will be explained in further detail in con¬ junction with Figure 4.

Consider now, however, the structure of stations SI, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6 as illustrated in Figure 3. Input port 11 of those stations is serially coupled to output port 12 through a receiver 30, a shift register 31, an input 32a of a multiplexer 32, and a transmitter 33. Thus data is passed from the input port to the output port with a delay which those components provide. In one speci¬ fic embodiment, register 31 stores one character and thus imposes a delay of eight bit periods.

In addition, the Figure 3 station includes four independent data buffers 34, 35, 36, and 37. Buffer 34 has an input that is coupled to the output of shift register 31 to receive nonisochronous data from the shift register. Buffer 35 contains nonisochronous data that is to be trans¬ mitted; and so it has an output that is coupled to an input 32b of multiplexer 32. Buffer 36 has an input that is coupled to the output of shift register 31 to receive isochronous data from the shift register. And buffer 37 contains isochronous data that is to be transmitted; and so it has an output that is coupled to an input 32c of multi¬ plexer 32.

Further included in the Figure 3 station is a detector circuit 38 which is coupled to shift register 31 for detecting three control characters T, S, and E. T represents a token; and S and E are the control characters that station RT generates in its shift register 24. S identifies the start of an isochronous frame, and E indicates its end.

A control circuit 39 is also included in the Figure 3 station. It receives signals from the detector circuit 38 indicating the presence of a T, S, or E char¬ acter in shift register 31; and in response thereto, it sends control signals on conductors 39a-39f to control the flow of data through the station. In a quiescent state, circuit 39 generates control signals on conductor 39a which direct multiplexer 32 to pass data from the input port to the output port through the multiplexer input 32a. As that data is passed through the station, circuit 39 may also generate control signals on conductor 39b to direct data buffer 34 to store a copy of the data as it passes through the station.

Subsequently, when circuit 38 detects the presence of a T in shift register 31, circuit 39 generates new con¬ trol signals on conductors 39a and 39c. The signals on conductors 39c direct buffer 35 to send data to multiplexer input 32b, while the signals on conductor 39a pass multi¬ plexer input 32b to the output port. After this writing operation is complete, control circuit 39 then generates a T followed by idle signals on conductors 39d, and it generates signals on conductor 39a which pass multiplexer input 32d to the output port.

At any time during the above-described passing of data from the input port to the output port or writing of nonisochronous data from data buffer 35, circuit 38 can detect an S character in shift register 31. If that occurs

and the station has isochronous data in data buffer 37 ^' to send, circuit 39 then generates control signals on con¬ ductors 39e which send data from buffer 37 to multiplexer input 32c, and it generates signals on conductor 39a which pass signals on multiplexer input 32c to the output port. At the same time, if the station has isochronous data to read, then circuit 39 generates control signals on con¬ ductor 39f which direct buffer 36 to store a copy of the signals from shift register 31. Subsequently, when circuit 38 detects the E character in shift register 31, control circuit 39 generates control signals on its output .conduc¬ tors which resume the operation that was occurring prior to the detection of the S character.

Reference should now be made to Figure 4 which illustrates how the above-described stations of Figures 2 and 3 operate in conjunction with one another in a network. Figure 4 is .in the form of a rectangular array in which the columns are labeled SI, S2, S3, RT, S4, S5, and S6 and the rows are labeled Tl through T23. Each entry in this array shows the data that is being transmitted from a station which is identified by the column at a time that is identi¬ fied by the row. For example, station S2 at time t8 is transmitting a character D3 from its output port.

Also in Figure 4, the presence of a small triangle in the bottom-right corner of an array entry indicates a station is internally generating data on its output port that was stored within the station, as opposed to merely passing data from its input port to its output port. For example, at time t6, station S2 is generating internally stored data on its output port; while at time tl, station S2 is passing data from its input port to its output port.

Further in Figure 4, if an entry in column RT is underlined, the underlining indicates that data is being passed from the input port to the output port through shift

register 24. Conversely, an entry in column RT which is not underlined indicates that the shift register 24 is being bypassed.

. Consider now the state of the stations at time tl. That state indicates that station SI, has been transmitting internally generated data from its output port for the last hundred characters and the remaining stations have been passing those characters. Each of the shift registers 21 and 31 provide a one character delay, so stations S2, S3, RT, S4, S5, and S6 respectively pass characters 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, and 94 on their output ports when station SI is generating character 100 on its output port.

At time t2, station SI completes its transmissions of internally stored nonisochronous data by sending a data trailer DT. This may be several status characters and error code correction characters; but it is shown as only one character for simplicity. Then at time t3, station SI regenerates the token T. Thereafter, station SI generates idle characters on its output port until it receives its own data trailer on its input port. Then station S2 passes data from its input port to its output port.

Station S2 continues to pass data from station SI until it receives the token T. When that occurs, station S2 begins its own transmissions. Those transmissions begin in Figure 4 at time t4. First, station S2 sends an idle character I; then it sends a data header character DH; and then it sends data characters 1, 2, 3, etc. Here again the data header may be several characters that identify the sending station, the station that is to receive the data, etc.

All of the characters that are received by station RT are sent through that station such that shift register 24 is bypassed until station RT receives one of the peri¬ odic timing signals from its timer 26. In- Figure 4, one of those timing signals is indicated as occurring at time tlO.

At time tlO, controller 27 generates signals on conductor 27b to form the S and E control characters at the beginning of shift register 24; it sends clocking signals on conductor 27a to cause data to move through shift register 24; and it sends signals on conductor 27c to pass multiplexer input 22b to output port 12.

Thus, at time tlO, an S control character is sent from shift register 24 to output port 12, ^" while data character 3 is sent from input port 11 to shift register 24. Similarly, at time til, an isochronous data frame character II which was stored in shift register 24 between the S and E control characters is sent from shift register 24 to output port 12; while at the same time, data character 4 is sent from input port 11 to shift register 24. In like fashion, characters 12, E, 3, 4, etc., are sent through shift register 24 to output port 12 at time tl2, t!3, tl4, tl5, etc.

Consider now what happens when the isochronous frame S, II, 12, E passes through station S4. Prior thereto, station S4 passes data from its input port to its output port through components 30, 31, 32a, 32, and 33. However, when the S control character enters shift register 31, circuit 38 detects the S and signals control circuit 39 of its presence. Then, if station S4 has isochronous data (e.g., voice) to send, it inserts an 8-bit sample in one of the isochronous character slots between the S and E control characters. As an example, Figure 4 shows ^" that station S4 inserts an isochronous data character 12' over the previous character 12 at time tl3. Also, if station S4 is receiving isochronous data from another station on the network, then it copies the data in one of the isochronous character slots between the S and E character into the data buffer 36. For example, station S4 may copy the II character at time tl2.

Station S5 behaves in a similar fashion when it detects the S control character in its shift register 31. As an example, Figure 4 shows that station S5 writes a new isochronous data character II* over the previous character II at time tl3. Station S5 may also store a copy of the other isochronous data character 12' in its data buffer 36 at time tl4.

Suitably, the determination of which slot a partic¬ ular station can write into and which slot a particular station can read from is made by designating one of the stations as a master; and by sending requests to the ^' master prior to writing or receiving data in the isochronous frame. This master then does the slot-allocating book¬ keeping and sends messages back to a requesting station telling it which slots in the isochronous frame to use.

Next, consider what happens after the isochronous frame passes around the communication network 10 and into the station which .is presently transmitting nonisochronous data. In Figure 4, that event is shown as occurring at time tl5. Prior to time tl5, the transmitting station S2 is receiving its own data on its input port. That data enters shift register 31 but does not pass through multi¬ plexer 32. Thus the nonisochronous data is removed from network 10. When the transmitting station S2 receives an S control character in a shift register 31, it immediately stops transmitting data from its buffer 35 and instead passes data from shift register 31 to the output port. Here again, as the isochronous data frame is passing through station S2, it may also read (write) an isochronous character from (to) the isochronous frame. Thereafter, when station S2 detects an E control character in its shift register 31, it resumes transmitting characters from its data buffer 35 and resumes removing data from the network

that it receives on its input port. This is shown as occurring at time tl9, t20, t21,..., etc.

Subsequently, the isochronous frame will pass all the way around network 10 and back into station RT. Then, after the E character has passed through shift register 21 and into shift register 24, station RT stops clocking shift register 24 and resumes passing data from its input port to its output port along the path 20, 21, 22a, 22, and 23. In Figure 4 this is shown as occurring at time t21, t22,..., etc.

Various changes and modifications may also be made to the above details without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention. For example, any number of stations can be included in network 10. Also, any number of isochronous data slots can exist between control charac¬ ters S and E of the isochronous frame. Further, any particular bit configuration, including code violations, may be used to signify the control characters T, S, and E. For example, a "1" bit and a "0" bit can be signified by one signal transition respectively in the first half and second half of a bit period, and selected bits of the con¬ trol characters can have zero signal transitions per bit period. In addition, any type of logic circuitry, such as T L or MOS circuitry may be used to implement the stations of Figures 2 and 3. For example, all of the components can be implemented according to the following table.

Tl 74140. .23 ,33

Synertek SY2167. ..34,r35, ,36 ,37

Signetics 82S100..25,38 Motorola K1115A & Tl 74S169 .26

Tl 74S151. ,39

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the above details but is defined by the appended claims.