Patent ID: 7680904

Claim:
A computer network system, the computer network system comprising: a server; a first transmitter; a first receiver; a second transmitter; a second receiver, the first transmitter, first receiver, second transmitter, and second receiver being operatively connected to the server; and a plurality of workstations, the plurality of workstations being serially connected in a daisy-chain configuration by a transmit path, the first transmitter being operatively connected to the transmit path, the second transmitter being operatively connected to the transmit path, the plurality of workstations being serially connected in a daisy-chain configuration by a receive path, the first receiver being operatively connected to the receive path, the second receiver being operatively connected to the receive path, the transmit path including a first end and a second end, the first transmitter being connected between the first end of the transmit path and the server, the second transmitter being connected between the second end of the transmit path and the server, the receive path including a first end and a second end, the first receiver being connected between the first end of the receive path and the server, the second receiver being connected between the second end of the receive path and the server, the receive path being separate from the transmit path, the first transmitter and the first receiver being enabled during a normal mode, the second transmitter and the second receiver being disabled during the normal mode, the first transmitter and the first receiver being used to access at least one of the plurality of workstations during the normal mode, the first transmitter and the first receiver being enabled during a first phase of a breakage diagnostic mode, the second transmitter and the second receiver being disabled during the first phase of the breakage diagnostic mode, the first transmitter transmitting a first test sequence, at least one of the plurality of workstations being adapted for transmitting a first acknowledgement sequence in response to receiving the first test sequence, the first receiver receiving a quantity of first acknowledgement sequences, the first transmitter and the first receiver being disabled during a second phase of the breakage diagnostic mode, the second transmitter and the second receiver being enabled during the second phase of the breakage diagnostic mode, the second transmitter transmitting a second test sequence, at least one of the plurality of workstations being adapted for transmitting a second acknowledgement sequence in response to receiving the second test sequence, the second receiver receiving a quantity of second acknowledgement sequences, the quantity of first acknowledgement sequences being compared with the quantity of second acknowledgement sequences to determine whether a discontinuity in the computer network has occurred.