Write token regeneration in a timed token ring

Abstract

Disclosed is a bidding method for regenerating a lost write token in a token controlled loop communications network. In response to a station on the loop detecting the loss of the write token, the station will generate a unique recovery token specifying as the destination address that station's individual address and transmit the generated recovery token onto the loop. Stations receiving the recovery token will examine the recovery token's destination address and based on a bidding method, will either pass the recovery token on unaltered or substitute the receiving station's individual address if the recovery token's destination address is not equal to the receiving station's individual address. When a receiving station's individual address matches that specified in the recovery token, that station wins the bid and generates a new write token. The method disclosed can also be used to generate a write token when the network is initialized.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations providing data flow unidirectionally from one of said stations to the next, each of said stations being capable of passing data through itself along the loop, extracting data from the loop or injecting data into the loop, each of said stations having associated with it at least one individual address, the right of each of said stations to source new information into the network controlled by passing a write token from one of said stations to another, only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method of generating said write token at initialization of said network or regenerating a lost write token, said method comprising the steps of: each station measuring the time duration since the last receipt of said write token; and   in response to a first one of said stations detecting that said measured time duration exceeds a preset amount of time, said first one of said stations will initiate a bidding cycle to recover the write token.   
     
     
       2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said bidding cycle includes the following steps: said first station generating a recovery token, said recovery token including a destination address, the destination address in the recovery token generated including the individual address associated with said first station;   said first station transmitting said generated recovery token onto the loop.   
     
     
       3. The method in accordance with claim 2 further including the following additional steps: each one of said stations receiving one of said recovery tokens comparing the destination address in that said received recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station;   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is greater than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will transmit that said received recovery token back onto the loop with the destination address unaltered; and   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is less than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will replace the destination address in that said recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station and transmit the modified recovery token back onto the loop.   
     
     
       4. The method in accordance with claim 2 further including the following additional steps: each one of said stations receiving one of said recovery tokens comparing the destination address in that said received recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station;   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is less than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will transmit that said received recovery token back onto the loop with the destination address unaltered; and   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is greater than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will replace the destination address in that said recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station and transmit the modified recovery token back onto the loop.   
     
     
       5. The method in accordance with claim 3 or 4 further including the following additional steps: if the destination address in that said received recovery token is equal to the individual address of that said receiving station, that said receiving station will generate a new write token and transmit the new write token onto the loop.   
     
     
       6. The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the individual address associated with each one of said stations is uniquely different than the individual address associated with other ones of said stations. 
     
     
       7. The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said preset amount of time is dependent on a target token rotation time, the target token rotation time chosen so that under a one hundred percent offered load on the loop, the write token will revolve at the target token rotation time. 
     
     
       8. The method in accordance with claim 5 further including the steps of: assigning to each of said stations on the loop a Class 1 priority, a Class 2 priority, or both of said Class 1 and Class 2 priorities; and   each of said Class 2 stations limiting the transmission of information onto the loop based on the observed write token rotation time.   
     
     
       9. The method in accordance with claim 8 further including the steps of: allocating to the set of stations including all Class 1 stations a first portion of the bandwidth available on said loop; and   each Class 1 station requiring bandwidth reserving a portion of the first portion of bandwidth, wherein the sum of the reserved Class 1 bandwidth does not exceed the first portion of the bandwidth.   
     
     
       10. The method in accordance with claim 5 further including the steps of: assigning to each one of a first subset of said stations on the loop a Class 2 priority; and   each of said Class 2 priority stations limiting the transmission of information onto the loop based on the observed write token rotation time.   
     
     
       11. The method in accordance with claim 10 further including the steps of: assigning to each one of a second subset of said stations on the loop a Class 1 priority;   allocating to the second subset of said stations a first portion of the bandwidth available on said loop; and   each Class 1 priority station requiring bandwidth reserving a portion of the first portion of bandwidth, wherein the sum of the reserved Class 1 bandwidth does not exceed the first portion of the bandwidth.   
     
     
       12. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations on a broadcast medium wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from one of said stations to another in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data through itself along the logical loop, extracting data from the logical loop or injecting data into the logical loop, each of said stations having associated with it at least one individual address, only one of said write tokens circulating around the logical loop under normal conditions, a method of generating said write token at initialization of said network or regenerating a lost write token, said method comprising the steps of: each station measuring the time duration since the last receipt of said write token; and   in response to a first one of said stations detecting that said measured time duration exeeds a preset amount of time, said first one of said stations will initiate a bidding cycle to recover the write token.   
     
     
       13. The method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said bidding cycle includes the following steps: said first station generating a recovery token, said recovery token inlcuding a destination address, the destination address in the recovery token generated including the individual address associated with said first station;   said first station transmitting said generated recovery token onto the logical loop.   
     
     
       14. The method in accordance with claim 13 further including the following additional steps: each one of said stations receiving one of said recovery tokens comparing the destination address in that said received recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station;   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is greater than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will transmit that said received recovery token back onto the logical loop with the destination address unaltered; and   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is less than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will replace the destination address in that said recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station and transmit the modified recovery token back onto the logical loop.   
     
     
       15. The method in accordance with claim 13 further including the following additional steps: each one of said stations receiving one of said recovery tokens comparing the destination address in that said received recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station;   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is less than the individual address associated with that said receiving station that said receiving station will transmit that said received recovery token back onto the logical loop with the destination address unaltered; and   if the destination address in that said received recovery token is greater than the individual address associated with that said receiving station, that said receiving station will replace the destination address in that said recovery token with the individual address associated with that said receiving station and transmit the modified recovery token back onto the logical loop. .Iadd.16. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations for providing data flow unidirectionally from one of said stations to the next, each of said stations being capable of passing data along the loop, extracting data from the loop or transmitting data onto the loop, the right of at least a plurality of said stations to transmit data onto the loop being controlled by a write token circulating around the loop, only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method of determining when a write token is lost, said method comprising performing at a first station the steps of measuring the time duration since its last receipt of a write token from another station, and determining whether the token is lost by detecting whether said time duration exceeds a particular amount. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the steps performed by said station includes the step of transmitting recovery data onto said loop in response to detecting that said time duration exceeds said predetermined amount. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The method in accordance with claim 16, or 17, wherein a plurality of said stations perform said steps of said first mentioned station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations providing data flow unidirectionally from one of said stations to the next, each of a plurality of said stations being capable of passing data along the loop, receiving data from the loop or transmitting data onto the loop, the right of each of said plurality of stations to transmit data onto the loop being controlled by a write token circulating around said loop, only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method of regenerating a lost token comprising the steps of: measuring at a first station the time duration since its last receipt of a write token from another station, determining whether the token is lost by detecting at said first station whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, transmitting from said first station predetermined data onto said loop in response to detecting that said measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and, following receipt by a plurality of said stations of said predetermined data, causing a station to generate a new write token onto said loop. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations providing data flow unidirectionally from one of said stations to the next, each of a plurality of said stations being capable of passing data along the loop, receiving data from the loop or transmitting data onto the loop, the right of each of said plurality of stations to transmit data onto the loop being controlled by a write token circulating around said loop, only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method comprising the steps of: measuring at each of a plurality of stations the time duration since its last receipt of a write token from another station, determining whether the token is lost by detecting at each of said plurality of stations whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, transmitting predetermined data from a station in response to the station detecting that its measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and, following receipt by a plurality of said stations of said predetermined data, causing a station to generate a write token onto said loop. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations providing data flow unidirectionally from one of said stations to the next, each of a plurality of said stations being capable of passing data along the loop, receiving data from the loop or transmitting data onto the loop, the right of each of said plurality of stations to transmit data onto the loop being controlled by a write token circulating around said loop only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method comprising the steps of: measuring at each of a plurality of stations the time duration since its last receipt of a write token from another station, determining whether the token is lost by detecting at each of said plurality of stations whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, initiating a bidding cycle in response to a station detecting that its measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and generating a write token onto said loop by a station selected in accordance with said bidding cycle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from station-to-station in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data along the loop, receiving data from the logical loop or transmitting data onto the logical loop only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method of determining when a write token is lost said method comprising: performing at a first station the steps of measuring the time duration since its last receipt of a write token from another station, and determining whether the token is lost by detecting whether said time duration exceeds a particular amount. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The method in accordance with claim 22, wherien the steps performed by said station includes the step of transmitting recovery data onto said loop in response to detecting that said time duration exceeds said predetermined amount. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The method in accordance with claim 22, or 23, wherein a plurality of said stations perform said steps of said first mentioned station. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from station-to-station in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data along the logical loop, receiving data from the logical loop or transmitting data onto the logical loop, a method of regenerating a lost token comprising the steps of: measuring at a station the time duration between receipt of write tokens, detecting at said station whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, transmitting from said station predetermined data onto said loop in response to detecting that said measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and, following receipt by a plurality of said stations of said predetermined data, causing a station to generate a new write token onto said loop. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from station-to-station in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data along the logical loop, receiving data from the logical loop or transmitting data onto the logical loop, a method comprising the steps of: measuring at each of a plurality of stations the time duration between receipt of write tokens, detecting at each of said plurality of stations whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, transmitting predetermined data from a station in response to the station detecting that its measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and, following receipt by a plurality of said stations of said predetermined data, causing a station to generate a write token onto said loop. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from station-to-station in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data along the logical loop, receiving data from the logical loop or transmitting data onto the logical loop, a method comprising the steps of: measuring at each of a plurality of stations the time duration between receipt of write tokens, detecting at each of said plurality of stations whether the measured time duration exceeds a particular amount, initiating a bidding cycle in response to a station detecting that its measured time duration exceeds said particular amount, and generating a write token onto said loop by a station selected in accordance with said bidding cycle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. In a loop communications network including a loop-connected set of stations providing data flow uni-directionally from one of said stations to the next, each of said stations being capable of passing data through itself along the loop, extracting data from the loop or injecting data into the loop, each of said stations having associated with it at least one individual address, the right of each of said stations to source new information into the network controlled by passing a write token from one of said stations to another, only one of said write tokens circulating around the loop under normal conditions, a method of generating said write token at initialization of said network or regenerating a lost write token, said method comprising the steps of:   each station measuring the time duration since its last receipt of said write token from another station; and   in response to a first one of said stations detecting that said measured time duration exceeds a preset amount of time, said first one of said stations will initiate a bidding cycle to recover the write token. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. In a logical loop communications network, said network including a bus connected set of stations on a broadcast medium wherein a logical ordering of said stations is enforced by passing a write token from one of said stations to another in a predictable order with the last station in the order passing the write token to the first station in the order, each of said stations being capable of passing data through itself along the logical loop, extracting data from the logical loop or injecting data into the logical loop, each of said stations having associated with it at least one individual address, only one of said write tokens circulating around the logical loop under normal conditions, a method of generating said write token at initialization of said network or regenerating a lost write token, said method comprising the steps of:   each station measuring the time duration since its last receipt of said write token from another station; and   in response to a first one of said stations detecting that said measured time duration exceeds a preset amount of time, said first one of said stations will initiate a bidding cycle to recover the write token. .Iaddend.