Patent ID: 8379654

Claim:
A method of transmitting data within a network including one or more of a first type of device operating according to a first protocol and a second protocol and one or more of a second type of device operating according to only the second protocol, wherein devices of the first type and devices of the second type communicate with each other within the network, comprising: a. establishing a periodic cycle including a first portion and a second portion; b. allowing only transmissions according to the first protocol during the first portion; c. allowing only transmissions according to the second protocol during the second portion; and d. converting the transmissions of IEEE 1394-2000 packets to ethernet packets and the ethernet packets to the IEEE 1394-2000 packets when appropriate to be understood by a receiving device, wherein the first protocol has priority over the second protocol, and further wherein the second protocol is prioritized between a first set of traffic and a second set of traffic, wherein the first portion always precedes the second portion within each periodic cycle.