초록 ▼

A network interface unit couples a lattice communication network and at least one token ring network. The network interface unit includes a sequence controller which controls a token detector and a reception register so that message information received from the lattice communication network via a n

A network interface unit couples a lattice communication network and at least one token ring network. The network interface unit includes a sequence controller which controls a token detector and a reception register so that message information received from the lattice communication network via a node apparatus connection port is looped back from the token ring network via a terminal connection port and output from the node apparatus connection port when an address detector detects that a destination address matches a stored source address, and absorbed when the address detector detects that the destination address does not match the stored source address. The network interface unit also includes a phantom signal part which outputs a detection signal via the terminal connection port when a phantom signal has been received, the phantom signal part including a set of resistors coupled to the terminal connection port, each of the resistors having a resistance that produces a detection signal having an appropriate level.

대표청구항 ▼

A network interface unit for coupling a lattice communication network and at least one token ring network, said lattice communication network having a multi-conjunction architecture and comprising: a plurality of node apparatuses; a plurality of first terminals; and a plurality of transmission paths

A network interface unit for coupling a lattice communication network and at least one token ring network, said lattice communication network having a multi-conjunction architecture and comprising: a plurality of node apparatuses; a plurality of first terminals; and a plurality of transmission paths each coupling one node apparatus to another node apparatus or a first terminal, each node apparatus including an input port comprising a plurality of input channels connected to the transmission paths, an output port comprising a plurality of output channels connected to the transmission paths, a switching gate part for coupling the input and output channels of the input and output ports, and control means for controlling the switching gate part to selectively couple one of the input channels which receives a digital signal first to all the output channels other than one of the output channels having a channel number corresponding to a channel number of said one input channel according to a first-input-first-output logic, said token ring network comprising: at least one second terminal which functions as one of transmitting and receiving second terminals; and a cable which is coupled to the second terminal and forms a ring, a carrier signal and a free token being recirculated around the ring of the cable even in a standby state, said transmitting second terminal catching the free token and transmitting message information which is added to a busy token, said receiving second terminal copying the message information which is received and returning the message information which is added with a copy code, said transmitting second terminal entering the message information which is returned from said receiving second terminal and outputting a free token when an establishment of a communication is confirmed from the copy code, said network interface unit comprising: a terminal connection port coupled to the second terminal of the token ring network via the cable; a node apparatus connection port coupled to the node apparatus of the lattice communication network; a free token generator, coupled to said terminal connection port and said node apparatus connection port, for intermittently generating a carrier signal and a free token and outputting the generated carrier signal and free token to said terminal connection port when no carrier signal has been received from said node apparatus connection port; a token detector, coupled to said terminal connection port, for detecting whether a free token or message information has been received from said terminal connection port, said token detector absorbing the free token when the free token is detected and outputting the message information and a carrier signal to said node apparatus connection port when the message information is detected so as to broadcast the message information within the lattice communication network; an address detector, coupled to said terminal connection port and said node apparatus connection port, for detecting, from the message information received from said terminal connection port, and storing a source address of the transmitting second terminal connected to the token ring network and detecting from the message information received from said node apparatus connection port whether or not a destination address matches the stored source address; reception register means, coupled to said node apparatus connection port and said terminal connection port, for stopping said free token generator from generating the free token when message information is received from the lattice communication network via said node apparatus connection port and for outputting the message information received from the lattice communication network to said terminal connection port; and a sequence controller coupled to and controlling said free token generator, said address detector and said reception register means, said sequence controller controlling said token detector and said reception register means so that the message information received from said node apparatus connection port is looped back from the token ring network via said terminal connection port and output from said node apparatus connection port when said address detector detects that the destination address matches the stored source address, and the message information received from said node apparatus connection port is looped back from the token ring network via said terminal connection port and absorbed when said address detector detects that the destination address does not match the stored source address.