Abstract: A method is provided for determining the length of node-to-node links in a computer network. The method includes measuring the forwarding time for each node-to-node link in the network, eliminating queuing time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting store-forward time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting execution time from each forwarding time measurement to obtain a propagation time for a signal being transmitted on each node-to-node link and, based upon the propagation time for each node-to-node link, calculating a length of each node-to-node link. A network map may also be derived by identifying internal nodes in the network, translating each store-forward time into a hop count, constructing a connectivity map of the network including a connection map of internal nodes and superimposing the calculated link lengths onto the connectivity map to determine cable length between any internal nodes with more than two connections.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the length of node-to-node links in a computer network. The method includes measuring the forwarding time for each node-to-node link in the network, eliminating queuing time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting store-forward time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting execution time from each forwarding time measurement to obtain a propagation time for a signal being transmitted on each node-to-node link and, based upon the propagation time for each node-to-node link, calculating a length of each node-to-node link. A network map may also be derived by identifying internal nodes in the network, translating each store-forward time into a hop count, constructing a connectivity map of the network including a connection map of internal nodes and superimposing the calculated link lengths onto the connectivity map to determine cable length between any internal nodes with more than two connections.

Abstract: The present invention has solved the collision problems in a CSMA network protocol and at the same time optimized performance of the network. This is accomplished by giving control of the size of the reserved portion and the size of the reservation portion of the communication frame to stations in the network. Further, the reserved portion is allotted to isochronous data packets each of whose length is variable. Also, only those packets that have a reservation are in the frame, and they are placed in the frame in order in accordance with there position of the permission or reservation list. The network timing is controlled by one of the stations acting as a conductor for the network. This conductor station receives the reservation requests from the other stations and builds a beat packet. The beat packet is transmitted from the conductor station to all stations of the network, and provides the timing or beat of the network that all stations are synchronized with.

Abstract: The present invention has solved the collision problems in a CSMA network protocol and at the same time optimized performance of the network. This is accomplished by giving control of the size of the reserved portion and the size of the reservation portion of the communication frame to stations in the network. Further, the reserved portion is allotted to isochronous data packets each of whose length is variable. Also, only those packets that have a reservation are in the frame, and they are placed in the frame in order in accordance with there position of the permission or reservation list.The network timing is controlled by one of the stations acting as a conductor for the network. This conductor station receives the reservation requests from the other stations and builds a beat packet. The beat packet is transmitted from the conductor station to all stations of the network, and provides the timing or beat of the network that all stations are synchronized with.