REPEATERS FOR DIGITAL DATA NETWORKS

摘要

PCT No. PCT/GB92/00569 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 29, 1993 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 29, 1993 PCT Filed Mar. 30, 1992 PCT Pub. No. WO92/17963 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 15, 1992.A multiport repeater for a data network operating on a CSMA or CSMA/CD protocol, for example an Ethernet local area network, has signals transmitted from port to port via a crosspoint switch or other appropriate switching means. The destination address of each incoming data frame is read and compared with a stored table to determine which port or ports the frame needs to be transmitted to, and the switching means is then operated to cease transmitting the frame unnecessarily to other ports. The remaining ports are thus returned to an idle state, and a second frame overlapping with the first can be received and retransmitted provided it does not require any of the ports that are in use in transmitting the first frame. If the second frame does require one of the ports that are already in use, then a collision signal is returned and the source station will stop transmission in the normal way, after which the switching means is reset to respond appropriately when the source station re-tries (or another signal is received).