Patent ID: 7542474

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; and c. allowing only transmissions according to the second protocol during the second portion, 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 type of device supports IEEE 1394 isochronous traffic and IEEE 1394 asynchronous traffic and the second type of device supports Ethernet traffic.