Abstract: A data communications system comprises a bus for transferring data, a plurality of devices sharing the bus by time-division multiplexing, wherein time is divided into time slots and a frame is assembled with a predetermined number of time slots, a processor for assigning to each of the devices time slots and for multiplexing data to be transferred to each of the devices into a data frame TXD and demultiplexing a data frame RXD including data transferred from each of the devices, wherein data transmission between the processor and each of the devices is performed during the time slots assigned to each of the devices, and an interfacing module, coupled with the processor and each of the devices, for multiplexing data transmitted from each of the devices to transfer to the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus for interfacing a data processing system with n.times.N number of data communications network(s) includes N number of interface units, a pair of control units, and linking units, both n and N being positive integer, respectively. The interface units coordinate a data exchange between the data communications network(s) and the control unit in response to control signals, wherein each interface unit includes n communications ports. Each in the pair of control units generates the control signals and coordinates a data exchange between the data processing system and the interfacing units, wherein each control unit is identical to each other, operates alternately in active/stand-by mode and shares data by using a path therebetween. The linking unit is for use in exchanging data between the data processing system and the control units, between the control units and the interfacing units, and between the interfacing units and the data communications network(s).