Patent ID: 6138165
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An address setting method for a communication system including a plurality of ring type networks mutually connected via a plurality of relay stations in a data exchangeable manner, said plurality of relay stations setting their own addresses by sequentially circulating communication data between the plurality of relay stations so as to enable mutual discrimination of their identity, the method comprising the steps of:initializing addresses respectively stored in address memories of the plurality of relay stations to a predetermined value common to the plurality of relay stations, and initializing address write enable/disable states respectively stored in enable/disable state memories of the plurality of relay stations into write enable states, when an address setting process for the plurality of relay stations is started;transmitting the communication data to a respective relay station, said transmitted communication data having the predetermined value common to the plurality of relay stations described in a destination address area corresponding to a destination address of the respective relay station and having an initial value described in a variably set address area corresponding to a variably set address to be set on the respective relay station; andupdating an address stored in the address memory of the respective relay station to be the variably set address value described in the variably set address area and updating an address write enable/disable state stored in the state enable/disable memory of the respective relay station to be a write disable state, executing predetermined calculations to calculate a new variably set address, updating the variably set address area with the new variably set address calculated by the predetermined calculations, andtransmitting the communication data including the new variably set address to a succeeding relay station, when the address of respective relay station coincides with the destination address of received communication data and an address write/enable stored in the enable/disable state memory is in a write enable state.