Patent ID: RE39405

Claim:
In a data communication network comprising a hub coupled to at least one node, an apparatus for establishing communication between the hub and a node comprising: a hub transmitter coupled to the hub for transmitting a hub protocol signal to the node, the hub protocol signal indicating a communication protocol, including a format for a data transmission, with which the hub is capable of communicating; a node receiver coupled to the node for receiving the hub protocol signal; a node transmitter coupled to the node for transmitting a node protocol signal to the hub, the node protocol signal indicating a communication protocol, including a format for a data transmission, with which the node is capable of communicating; wherein the communication protocol indicated by the node protocol signal is different from the communication protocol indicated by the hub protocol signal; a hub receiver coupled to the hub for receiving the node protocol signal; a protocol identifying circuit coupled to the hub receiver for identifying the communication protocol indicated by the node protocol signal from among a plurality of possible communication protocols with which the hub is capable of communicating; and wherein the hub transmitter includes a communication circuit for communicating with the node using the communication protocol indicated by the node protocol signal in response thereto.