Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly for radio communication containing all the electronic components necessary for radio transmission/reception, which can alternatively be connected to a device for voice communication and to a device for data communication.The device for voice communication with the assembly (which, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, is implemented on a reduced dimension PCMCIA integrated circuit card) plugged therein, has more or less the same dimension and the same weight of a usual cellular phone device.When radio data transmission is desired the PCMCIA integrated circuit card is to be unplugged from the telephone handset and plugged into a data processing device properly arranged. In this way the data processing device is provided with the capability of radio transmitting and receiving data.

Abstract: A new system and method allow a Manager in a network to control, monitor and receive accounting from its Agents. The system and method comprise the unique provision and use of an accounting file which is used by each Agent for maintaining the accounting information database for the Manager. The agent collects the accounting data specified by the Manager and stores it in the accounting data file. The Agent further maintains a status record based upon the status of the accounting data collection activity. If the Agent has completed collecting the accounting data as specified by the Manager, the status record indicates that the file is in a full state, or COMPLETE. Alternatively, if the Agent is still in the process of collecting and storing the accounting data, the status record will indicate that the accounting file is in an active state, or ACTIVE. In operation, the Manager first issues a command to each of its Agents to begin collecting and storing a particular type and amount of accounting data.

Abstract: A process for testing a wrapped segment of a dual token ring transmits idle signals on the segment and monitors the received signals. If either an Active Monitor, Standby Monitor or Beacon frame is received the process loops. If a Ring Purge frame is received the process exits successfully and the segment is unwrapped. If a timer expires prior to the above, transmission shifts to a Claim Token frame. The process loops if a Beacon frame is received or if one of two timers expires. The process exits and the segment is unwrapped if a Ring purge frame is received or if n Claim Token frames are received having the hub source address.

Abstract: A system and method for encoding and decoding binary data for serial transmission over a physical medium provides a highly efficient and less complex coding scheme while guaranteeing clocking information and guaranteeing an NRZ(I)-disparity of no greater than one per five-bit word. The system and method of the present invention comprise a 4/5 encoder which enables each nibble to be encoded and decoded independently from one another. The coding system and method of the present invention guarantees an NRZ(I)-disparity having a magnitude of no greater than one for any word after NRZ(I) while providing at least one word with "NRZ(I) comma" property.

Abstract: A network port configurator device for automatically configuring a system having network workstations and corresponding network equipment of various physical protocols. The network port configurator comprises a plurality of input and output ports for receiving physical wiring to which the workstations and network equipment are attached. Detection circuitry attached to the input and output ports determine the physical protocol of the attached workstations and network equipment by determining a characteristic of the attached equipment. Examples of identifying characteristics include a characteristic impedance, a characteristic voltage, and a characteristic cable identification of the workstation. Logic circuitry uses this information to control a circuit switching mechanism that connects the input ports to the output ports.

Abstract: The oscillator at the sending node of a wireless digital network, generates a carrier signal, starting at a first instant. A modulator coupled to the oscillator performs phase shift modulating of the carrier signal with an input signal. A spoiler signal generator is coupled to the modulator, for providing a spoiler signal as the input signal, starting at the first instant and continuing for a first duration which is longer than a period needed for the oscillator to achieve stable characteristics. A transmitter is coupled to the modulator at the sending node, for transmitting a wireless radio signal representation of the carrier signal phase shift modulated with the spoiler signal to a receiver at a receiving node. The spoiler signal in the modulated carrier signal interrupts the periodic characteristic of the pulses, and thereby prevents the carrier sensor from detecting the carrier signal.

Abstract: A system and method for recording accounting times by an Agent in a network and retrieving the accounting times by the network Manager. Three types of data objects in each of the Agent's stored records are provided. Record Number is the sequence number of the record in the file. Recording time is an indication of the time the record was stored in the file since a certain point in time, such as after the Agent's clock began running. Record Type is the particular type of record stored. The Record Type can either be DATA representing normal accounting data or TIME representing time data used for correlating the Manager's and the Agent's time-keeping. Upon receipt of an accounting data record of type DATA, the manager uses the record's Recording time to help determine the point of time accorded to that event. The Manager then uses the previous record of type TIME to adjust the Recording time of the received accounting data record relative to the Manager's precise calendar time.

Abstract: A system and method for decreasing the amount of bandwidth required to transmit a high bandwidth signal over electrically conducting transmission lines, wherein the transmission lines are arranged in a symmetrical configuration so that their propagation characteristics permit frequency independent modes of propagation of a plurality of signals to be transmitted thereon. This permits decomposing a high bandwidth signal into lower bandwidth signals, and then encoding these lower bandwidth signals in association with the frequency independent modes of propagation, driving the individual electrically conducting transmission lines with these encoded signals, and then decoding and recombining the signals at the receiving end to recapture the high bandwidth signal.

Abstract: An arbitration method uses no software for achieving fast switching in a large-scale asynchronous transfer mode switch of a cross-bar type. When two or more output requests directed to the same output port compete, NAND operations are carried out for each row of matrix between request signals for the output requests and one bit signals stored beforehand in matrix form. Then, wired OR operations are carried out on the results of NAND operations for each column of the matrix to obtain an internal signal Q for each column. Then, the complementary relationship between the order of the internal signals Q and the order on one row of one bit signals stored beforehand in matrix form is detected to generate an acknowledgement signal for the output request for the row with an order of complementary relationship. The arbitration process is performed very fast because all the processes are executed on hardware.

Abstract: In a serial network which includes a hub having a plurality of ports each for attaching one or more stations a mechanism for correlating a list of stations developed in a poll cycle to the ports and for detecting and resolving ambiguities when the number of stations does not equal the number of active ports. The mechanism uses a combination of input and output buffers under control of the programmed hub processor for developing a list of stations connected to the hub. When the number of stations does not equal the number of active hub ports an upstream buffer is configured to transmit Duplicate Address MAC frames to a single port and the contents of a downstream buffer are used to resolve the ambiguity either on a single transmission or multiple single port transmissions.

Abstract: This invention deals with a safe key distribution and authentication in a data communication network (e.g. wireless LAN type of network).The network includes a network manager to which are connected, via a LAN wired circuit, one or more base stations. Individual remote stations are, in turn, wirelessly connected to an installed base station.One essential function for achieving security in such a network, is a mechanism to reliably authenticate the exchanges of data between communicating parties. This involves the establishment of session keys, which keys need to be distributed safely to the network components. An original and safe method is provided with this invention for key distribution and authentication during network installation, said method including using the first installed base station for generating a network key and a backbone key, and then using said first installed base station for subsequent remote station or additional base station installations while avoiding communicating said network key.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a communications adapter interface such that supplemental data can be interleaved with data being transferred. The interleaving is performed in a manner such that the supplemental data is transparent to the data mover portion of the communications adapter. The supplemental data can be transferred in either read or write cycles that are interleaved at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of data bursts or block data transfers. As a result of the interleaving, the slave interface bus is more fully utilized because arbitration and bus ownership changes do not create unused cycles. The interleaving is accomplished by temporarily halting an existing transfer of data and transferring the requested supplemental data while the data transfer is halted. After the supplemental data is transferred, the transfer of the balance of the data block is then allowed to continue.

Abstract: A serial network fault isolation device for use in a network hub has receive and transmit buffers connected to the network. An isolation switch which allows the receive buffer to receive network signals while the transmit buffer sends signals such as media access control (MAC) frames supplied by the hub processor. A decoder connected to the receive buffer recognizes received (MAC) frames and interrupts the hub processor which reads the MAC frame. An idle character generator also under control of the hub processor is used to synchronize the circuit when the hub processor inserts the fault isolation device in the network.

Abstract: A self-configuring memory subsystem for a computer system allows the insertion of memory modules into any of the available expansion sockets without the need for setting switches or inserting the modules in a predefined or restricted sequence and without the requirement of additional logic circuitry or microcode in the computer. Each of the memory modules utilized with the subsystem has a number of size identification bits, each bit being connected to a known value, such as ground or left floating. The size bits are detected by logic circuitry embodied in a programmable logic device (PLD) so that the total memory space may be properly mapped. The PLD is programmed so that it uses the identification bits to "map" the installed memory modules into the logical memory address space as accessed by the memory controller so that each memory location of the memory modules has an allocated memory location without addressing ambiguities.

Abstract: A carrier sensing circuit coupled to a receiving amplifier, measures the frequency of a phase shift modulated carrier signal by counting a predetermined number of the pulses for a measured interval whose duration is determined by counting a first clock count value. A demodulator coupled to the amplifier, detects when the spacing between the edges of the square wave pulses changes in response to the phase shift modulation. The demodulator measures first intervals between consecutive rising edges of the received signal, by counting clock pulses for a second selected interval whose duration is determined by a second selected count value. The demodulator further measures second intervals between consecutive falling edges of the received signal by counting clock pulses for a third selected interval whose duration is determined by a third selected count value.

Abstract: A high performance data packet buffering method and a programmable data communication adapter for high speed packet transmission networks are disclosed. The line adapter includes programmable processing means, for receiving and transmitting data packets of fixed or variable length. This system is characterized in that it comprisesmeans for buffering (132) said data packets,means for identifying said buffering means and said data packets in said buffering means,means for queueing (FIG. 15) in storing means (131) said identifying means in a single instruction,means for dequeueing (FIG. 16) from said storing (131) means said identifying means in another single instruction,means for releasing said buffering means,Each instruction comprises up to three operations executed in parallel by said processing means:an arithmetical and logical (ALU) operation on said identifying means,memory operation on said storing means, anda sequence operation.

Abstract: In a communications system comprising a number of base stations, each base station communicating over a shared communication channel with a plurality of registered stations and controlling the network cell formed by said plurality of registered stations, a method is described for dynamically registering and deregistering mobile stations. Each station owns a unique address and is allocated a local identifier at registration time. Each network cell owns a unique cell identifier known to all registered stations belonging to this network cell. Base stations manage cell members data uniquely associating the unique address and the local identifier corresponding to each one of the mobile stations belonging to their network cell.

Abstract: In a communications system, a method is described allowing two users having established a communication session identified by a unique session freshness proof, to transmit and validate a new value of a variable by using an exchange certificate which combines the following elements: the new value of the variable, a common secret key known by both users, an exchange counter representative of the number of values of said variable transmitted between the two users during the current communication session and a session freshness proof. Protection against potential eavesdroppers and intruders is provided by combining cryptographically the elements of the exchange certificate.

Abstract: A display and control system utilizes graphics for providing a clear, concise and intuitive interface between the user and a complex system. Icons are utilized for selectively representing components of the complex system, the components having a configurable relationship with one another. The display and control system further utilizes a predefined array defining locations for the icons to be positioned. In a first embodiment, the interface may be utilized in a network for assisting the user to configure the network and for providing real-time monitoring of the network at the interconnect device. In a second embodiment, a display and control system utilizes graphics for providing a clear, concise interface between the user and a workstation for configuring a file for use with an application software program in accordance with the hardware installed in the server workstation. Each embodiment utilizes a predefined array defining locations for the icons to be positioned.

Abstract: A system (such as a multiprotocol LAN adapter) for use in a workstation or other processing machine automatically determines the type of network to which the workstation is connected and for automatically determines the type of physical medium to which the workstation is attached. The system has a plurality of different physical ports for supporting various available physical media over which network data may be transmitted. For example, the system may have a port for connecting to shielded twisted pair (STP) wiring, a port for connecting to unshielded twisted pair (UTP) wiring, a port for connecting to coaxial cable, and a port for supporting the Attachment Unit Interface (AUI). Connected to each of these physical ports are various network interface devices for supporting the various available networking protocols, e.g., token ring, Ethernet, etc. Logic circuitry and control software are connected to the network interface devices.