Patent ID: 6088354
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
In combination for use with a plurality of originating devices and a plurality of ports on each of the originating devices in sending packets of binary coded signals, each packet including binary coded signals representing a preamble, a start-of-frame delimiter and data,means at an individual one of the originating devices, and at an individual one of the ports in such originating device, for receiving such packets, andmeans at the individual one of the originating devices for modifying a first portion of the preamble to provide a header indicating the individual one of the originating devices and the individual one of the ports in such individual one of the originating devices,means at the individual one of the originating devices for transmitting the header, the remaining portion of the preamble, the start-of-frame delimiter and the data to other ones of the originating devices in the plurality, the packets being formed from successive nibbles each defined by a plurality of binary bits,the modifying means being operative to provide a last nibble in the header and a first nibble in the second portion of the preamble in a pattern distinguishing the header and the second portion of the preamble from the start-of-frame delimiter,the packet including information specifying a particular one of the originating devices to receive the packet,means at the particular one of the originating devices for substituting the modified portion of the preamble in place of the header,means at the particular one of the originating devices for transmitting the packet including the preamble, the start-of-frame delimiter and the data,an observing station for receiving the packet with the header, the second portion of the preamble, the start-of-frame delimiter and the data,means at the observing station for processing the header to determine the individual one of the originating devices and the individual one of the ports in such individual one of the originating devices, andmeans at the observing station for making a record of the individual one of the originating devices and the individual one of the ports in the individual one of the originating devices.