Patent ID: 6219353
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A message hub for use in a message communication system having a plurality of nodes connected to the message hub by a data communication medium for inter-node messaging, the message hub operating in a scheduling phase and a transmission phase and comprising:request receiving means for receiving in the scheduling phase a messaging request signal from each node;selecting means for selecting a selected node in the scheduling phase in accordance with the messaging request signal;granting means for generating in the scheduling phase a grant signal to the selected node for allowing the selected node to transmit a message to the message hub on the data communication medium, and a listen signal to the other nodes for commanding the other nodes to listen to the data communication medium;message receiving means for receiving in the transmission phase a message transmitted from the selected node on the data communication medium, the message including an end of message signal at the end of the message; andbroadcasting means for broadcasting the message to all nodes on the data communication medium in the transmission phase so as to enter into the scheduling phase by broadcasting the end of message signal.