Abstract: A method for selecting an operating mode for a frame-based communications network consisting of a plurality of stations attached to a transmission medium. The plurality of stations include both a first type station and a second type station. The first type station is capable of transmitting and receiving first protocol frames in accordance with a first protocol. The second type station is capable of transmitting and receiving both first protocol frames and second protocol frames in accordance with a second protocol. The first protocol and the second protocol each use different signals on the transmission medium. The first type station is not capable of reliably detecting second protocol frames. The first protocol has a first protocol frame format containing at least two reserved bits in a first protocol frame header which are ignored in received frames by first type stations and always sent with a same fixed value by first type stations.

Abstract: A method of providing for synchronizing one or more synchronous terminals with one or more synchronous endpoints, each synchronous terminal and each synchronous endpoint having an asynchronous communications network coupled between at least one synchronous terminal and at least one synchronous endpoint. A synchronization protocol is established between a synchronous terminal and a synchronous end point by providing a gateway between the asynchronous communications network and the synchronous end point, the gateway communicating with the synchronous terminal over the asynchronous communications network in accordance with the synchronization protocol. The synchronization protocol includes sending a message from the gateway to the synchronous terminal, the message containing a timestamp identifying a clock associated with the synchronous end point.

Abstract: A modem and method for operating same. A receiver circuit of the modem is coupled to receive a continuous analog signal from a communication channel. This analog signal includes both packet and idle information. The receiver circuit monitors the analog signal to detect the presence of idle information. Upon detecting idle information, the receiver circuit enters a standby mode in which the processing requirements of the receiver circuit are reduced. A burst mode protocol is also provided, in which packets of digital information are modulated by a transmitter circuit of the modem, thereby converting the packets of digital information into analog signal bursts of discrete duration. These analog signal bursts are transmitted from the transmitter circuit to a telephone line. However, the transmitter circuit does not generate any signals between the analog signal bursts. A receiver circuit monitors the telephone line to detect the analog signal bursts.

Abstract: An in-home network which includes a telephone line and a plurality of consumer electronic devices coupled to the telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices is assigned a unique address, such that each of the consumer electronics devices is individually addressable via the telephone line. The consumer electronic devices communicate using a packet-based protocol, wherein each of the consumer electronic devices transmits analog signal bursts on telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices can include a wireless signal receiver, such that a first consumer electronic device can receive control information from a remote control, and then control the operation of a second consumer electronic device by transmitting the control information to the second consumer electronic device via the telephone line.

Abstract: A network interface is presented that receives packet data from a shared medium and accomplishes the signal processing required to convert the data packet to host computer formatted data separately from receiving the data packet. The network interface receives the data packet, converts the analog signal to a digitized signal, and stores the resulting sample packet in a storage queue. An off-line processor, which may be the host computer itself, performs the signal processing required to interpret the sample packet. In transmission, the off-line process converts host-formatted data to a digitized version of a transmission data packet and stores that in a transmission queue. A transmitter converts the transmission data packet format and transmits the data to the shared medium.

Abstract: A packet-switched multiple-access network system with a distributed fair priority queuing media access control protocol that provides multiple levels of priority of access and fair collision resolution with improved performance is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system provides high-speed transport of multimedia information on a shared channel. Further, in one embodiment, MAC level side-band signaling that is usefull to other levels of the network protocol (e.g., the physical layer) is also provided.

Abstract: A network interface is presented that receives packet data from a shared medium and accomplishes the signal processing required to convert the data packet to host computer formatted data separately from receiving the data packet. The network interface receives the data packet, converts the analog signal to a digitized signal, and stores the resulting sample packet in a storage queue. An off-line processor, which may be the host computer itself, performs the signal processing required to interpret the sample packet. In transmission, the off-line process converts host-formatted data to a digitized version of a transmission data packet and stores that in a transmission queue. A transmitter converts the transmission data packet format and transmits the data to the shared medium.

Abstract: A modem and method for operating same. A receiver circuit of the modem is coupled to receive a continuous analog signal from a communication channel. This analog signal includes both packet and idle information. The receiver circuit monitors the analog signal to detect the presence of idle information. Upon detecting idle information, the receiver circuit enters a standby mode in which the processing requirements of the receiver circuit are reduced. A burst mode protocol is also provided, in which packets of digital information are modulated by a transmitter circuit of the modem, thereby converting the packets of digital information into analog signal bursts of discrete duration. These analog signal bursts are transmitted from the transmitter circuit to a telephone line. However, the transmitter circuit does not generate any signals between the analog signal bursts. A receiver circuit monitors the telephone line to detect the analog signal bursts.

Abstract: An in-home network which includes a telephone line and a plurality of consumer electronic devices coupled to the telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices is assigned a unique address, such that each of the consumer electronics devices is individually addressable via the telephone line. The consumer electronic devices communicate using a packet-based protocol, wherein each of the consumer electronic devices transmits analog signal bursts on telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices can include a wireless signal receiver, such that a first consumer electronic device can receive control information from a remote control, and then control the operation of a second consumer electronic device by transmitting the control information to the second consumer electronic device via the telephone line.

Abstract: A symbolic language data processing system comprises a sequencer unit, a data path unit, a memory control unit, a front-end processor, an I/O and a main memory connected on a common Lbus to which other peripherals and data units can be connected for intercommunication. The system architecture includes a novel bus network, a synergistic combination of the Lbus, microtasking, centralized error correction circuitry and a synchronous pipelined memory including processor mediated direct memory access, stack cache windows with two segment addressing, a page hash table and page hash table cache, garbage collection and pointer control, a close connection of the macrocode and microcode which enables one to take interrupts in and out of the macrocode instruction sequences, parallel data type checking with tagged architecture, procedure call and microcode support, a generic bus and a unique instruction set to support symbolic language processing.

Abstract: A symbolic language data processing system comprises a sequencer unit, a data path unit, a memory control unit, a front-end processor, an I/O and a main memory connected on a common Lbus to which other peripherals and data units can be connected for intercommunication. The system architecture includes a novel bus network, a synergistic combination of the Lbus, microtasking, centralized error correction circuitry and a synchronous pipelined memory including processor mediated direct memory access, stack cache windows with two segment addressing, a page hash table and page hash table cache, garbage collection and pointer control a close connection of the macrocode and microcode which enables one to take interrupts in and out of the macrocode instruction sequences, parallel data type checking with tagged architecture, procedure call and microcode support, a generic bus and a unique insruction set to support symbolic language processing.