Patent ID: 7099959

Claim:
A network comprising: a plurality of network nodes, and a star node that is configured to be coupled to the plurality of network nodes to facilitate communication among the plurality of network nodes, wherein: the star node includes a plurality of star interfaces, each star interface of the plurality of star interfaces being assigned to at least one network node of the plurality of network nodes, each star interface is configured such that, in dependence on detection of a pilot signal from an assigned network node, the star interface that is assigned to the assigned network node autonomously controls the conveyance of a message from the assigned network node to the other star interfaces and therefrom to the other network nodes, and wherein each star interface includes: a first amplifier having a first input and a first output, a second amplifier having a second input and a second output, a pilot detector having a pilot input and a pilot output, wherein the first input, the pilot input, and the second output are commonly and directly coupled to the assigned at least one network node, the first output and the second input are commonly and directly coupled to the first output and second input of each other star interface, and the pilot output is operably coupled to the pilot input of each other star interface.