Patent ID: 7009996

Claim:
A network architecture supporting periodic and aperiodic transmission of data comprising: a network databus; and a plurality of Network Interface Controller (NIC) modules capable of communicating over said network databus, at least one of said plurality of NIC modules acting as a master timing NIC module configured (i) to allocate a first time interval for transmission of periodic data over said databus, (ii) to dynamically allocate an aperiodic data transmission time interval, and (iii) to dynamically assign variable time slots within the aperiodic data transmssion time interval for transmission of aperiodic data on said network databus, said master timing NIC module including a means of determining what bandwidth is assigned to the aperiodic data transmissions based on priority, length and sequence of frames, wherein said master timing NIC module comprises: a master NIC configured to receive requests for aperiodic data transmissions from one or more of said plurality of network devices; and a priority table for storing a predetermined set of priorities assigned to requests for aperiodic data, said table accessible by said master NIC; and a transceiver means coupled to said master NIC and providing a signal pathway between said master NIC and said network databus.