Patent ID: 6028837
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
A network station node structure of a target node in a ring topology local area network (LAN), the LAN including a plurality of station node structures connected by a transmission medium, and wherein the transmission medium connects transmit lines of a node structure to receive lines of a following node structure in the ring topology local area network such that data packets can be circulated through the local area network, and wherein the absence of a GOODLINK/IDLE signal between data packets circulating through the local area network indicated to the target node that the preceding node structure is not properly operating for use in the local area network, the network station node structure comprising:a data receive node and a data transmit node, the data receive node configured to connect to a data transmit node of a preceding network station in the local area network and the data transmit node configured to connect to a data receive node at a following network station in the local area network;a relay having an open and a closed state, the closed state connecting the data transmit node of the preceding node structure to the data receive node of the following node structure such that data packets circulating on the local area network bypass the target node;a transceiver having an input and an output, the open state of the relay causing the transmit node of the preceding network station to be connected to the transceiver input and the receive node of the following network station to be connected to the transceiver output such that data packets circulating on the local area network are provided to the target node; andan idle timer control module connected between the data receive node and the data transmit node of the network station node structure and that responds to an absence of the GOODLINK/IDLE signal between data packets circulating on the LAN by causing the relay to be in the closed state for a predetermined time period.