Infinitely expandable ethernet network repeater unit

Abstract

An expandable repeater includes N repeater units connected to an integrator device and a bus. Each of the N repeater units has an input/output connected to the bus for exchanging clock, data, and to receive network status signals. Each repeater unit also provides status signals to the integrator device. The status signals indicate the data repetition status of that repeater unit to the integrator. The integrator receives N (where N is the number of repeater units to be combined by the integrator) sets of status signals from the repeater units, supplies network status information to the bus, and exchanges clock information and data with the bus. The integrator selectively executes the data and clock repetition, and provides a global network status signal in response to the status signals received from all of the repeater units connected to the integrator. A number of integrators may be combined in a similar fashion to further expand the repeater. The combinations may be continued, resulting in an hierarchical arrangement of integrators which provides an infinitely expandable repeater.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An expandable repeater, comprising: 
 a. a plurality of repeater units, each repeater unit: 
 (1) being connectable to at least one data terminal; and  
 (2) having a repeater unit input/output (I/O), the repeater unit I/O configured to transmit and receive data, timing, and repeater unit status information;  
   b. a bus connected to the plurality of repeater units and configured to receive data, timing, and repeater set status information; and    c. an integrator connected to receive status information from repeater unit I/Os; to generate repeater set status signals; and to transmit the repeater set status signals to the bus;    wherein the integrator coordinates the operation of the plurality of repeater units.    
     
     
         2 . The expandable repeater of    claim 1   , wherein the data is clocked with the timing information.  
     
     
         3 . The expandable repeater of    claim 1   , wherein the data is transmitted asynchronously to the plurality of repeater units.  
     
     
         4 . The expandable repeater of    claim 1   , wherein the plurality of repeater units comprises monolithic integrated circuit repeater units.  
     
     
         5 . The expandable repeater of    claim 1   , wherein the plurality of repeater units perform IEEE 802.3 Standard machine state functions.  
     
     
         6 . The expandable repeater of    claim 1   , wherein the repeater unit I/O exchanges data and timing information to the bus, receives repeater set status information from the bus, and provides repeater unit status information to the integrator.  
     
     
         7 . The expandable repeater of    claim 6   , wherein the repeater unit I/O selectively receives from the repeater unit data, clock, jam pattern, and request to transmit signals and selectively transmits to the repeater unit data, clock, jam pattern, transmit acknowledgement, and collision signals.  
     
     
         8 . The expandable repeater of claim I, wherein the integrator provides repeater set status information to the bus.  
     
     
         9 . A repeater unit input/output (I/O) configured to transmit and receive data and timing from a bus connectable to a plurality of repeater unit I/Os; to receive global status information from the bus; and to transmit status information to an integrator.  
     
     
         10 . An integrator configured to be connected to a plurality of repeater units and to a bus, the bus being connected to the plurality of repeater units; the integrator being further configured to receive status information from each of the plurality of repeater units and data and timing information from the bus, to generate global status information and transmit the global status information to the bus.