Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the broadcasting of a data packet, called a broadcast packet, within a switched network comprising a plurality of nodes connected to one another by a plurality of links, said broadcast packet being broadcast along a spanning tree of the network. Each node is of the type used to send said broadcast packets simultaneously on several links. The method comprises a step for the calculation of said spanning tree that consists in minimizing the number of links per node included in said spanning tree.

Abstract: A protocol data unit switching implements switching means used for the selective interconnection of a transmitter port and at least one receiver port selected from among at least two receiver ports by means of at least one internal bus, each of the protocol data units being constituted by at least one piece of elementary data. The switching implements a synchronization mechanism defining time slots, known as connection cycles, on at least one of said internal buses; a mechanism for the allocation of at least one of said connection cycles to each of the selected receiver ports; and a mechanism for the writing of at least one piece of elementary data in the allocated connection cycle or cycles so as to enable the broadcasting of elementary data to said selected receiver ports.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of data-packet transmission from a first network to a second network, one of the networks being a communications bus transporting data packets of isochronous and asynchronous types, characterised in that, with the other network being a packet-switching network, the said method includes, performed within a communications device connected to the communications bus and forming part of the packet-switching network, a step of reserving resources adapted to the types of data packets intended for the second network.

Abstract: In the digital communication systems, devices and methods described, a transmission medium is shared by means of service messages indicating to each digital communication device whether or not that device is authorized to send on the medium once the medium is free after the service message. Certain of these messages are collective authorization-to-send messages indicating to a group of communication devices that each is authorized to send by return. When such a collective message is sent, each receiving device, when attempting to send on the medium, determines whether or not it may send in return, in accordance with a preset rule which preferably involves a random ballot.

Abstract: A system for sending sequences of data to be transmitted includes inputting data sequences to be transmitted and repeating data sequences to be transmitted. Data sequences referred to as "key sequences" which provide a key sequence for each data sequence to be transmitted coming from the input or from the repetition are selected independently of the data and the data sequence to be transmitted. The key sequences are different for data sequences to be transmitted which are separated by at least a predetermined number of other data sequences to be transmitted. Each data sequence to be transmitted is combined with the key sequence corresponding thereto in order to provide a sequence of processed data. Finally, frames successively representing each processed data sequence are sent.