A robotic surgical system is disclosed having a ring network for communicating information between a controller and nodes of one or more robotic arms. A communications protocol is described by which synchronous and asynchronous information can be communicated to and from the nodes of the robotic arms. Also disclosed are various aspects of a physical layer that can be used with the network.

The invention relates inter alia to a method of operating a communication system (10). Each communication node (11, 12, 13, 14) of the communication system (10) preferably tracks a successful reception of data signals (D) and requests a switch and/or switches from a currently used communication channel (C1) to another communication channel (C2-C6) in case that no successful receptions were made within a given maximum time interval.

A robotic surgical system is disclosed having a ring network for communicating information between a controller and nodes of one or more robotic arms. A communications protocol is described by which synchronous and asynchronous information can be communicated to and from the nodes of the robotic arms. Also disclosed are various aspects of a physical layer that can be used with the network.

A network system includes nodes that form a ring network, wherein a transmission source node includes a first processor configured to divide transmission target data into a plurality of pieces of divided data, transmit the divided data in a first direction round of the ring network, and transmit redundant data in a second direction round, a first relay node includes a second processor configured to detect occurrence of a failure in a path to a transmission destination node in the ring network, and when there is un-transmitted divided data, transmit a transmission request for un-transmitted redundant data in the second direction round, and a second relay node includes a third processor configured to save at least one piece of redundant data in a memory, and when the un-transmitted redundant data is saved in the memory, transmit the un-transmitted redundant data in the second direction round toward the transmission destination node.

Reception information of frames received at a redundant port may be stored to a data structure in group of data structures such that reception information of all frames in a sequence are not stored to the same data structure and the reception information can be quickly accessed for duplicate detection. The data structure includes reception information for a portion of consecutive frames in a sequence of frames transmitted by a specific transmitter node. A communications layer address of the transmitter node and information capable of identifying a portion of consecutive frames in a sequence of frames are derived from a received frame. The reception information for the received frame in the data structure is read on the basis of derived information capable of identifying the received frame within the portion of consecutive frames.

Method for operating a network having a prescribable topology, wherein the topology contains a plurality of network devices which are connected to one another and interchange data via multiwire data lines connected to their data ports, wherein test messages are also sent to the data lines in order to check whether or not two data ports on two network devices have the connection between them via the interposed data line, characterized in that, in a prescribable time interval, the number of CRC errors which have occurred and the number of data items transmitted in this time interval are ascertained on a data line between two data ports, and at least these two values are used to calculate an error rate which is a measure of the operability of the multiwire data line.

A redundant communication network is provided. A first set of network interface controllers form at least a first ring communication loop. At least one of the network interface controllers provide a gateway to at least one first client unit. The first set of network interface controllers include a first master network interface controller and a first backup master interface controller. A second set of network interface controllers form at least a second communication loop. At least one of the network interface controllers provide a gateway to at least one second client unit. The second set of network interface controllers include a second master network interface controller and a second backup master interface controller. The first master network interface controller and the first backup master interface controller are in a cross-side linked commutation configuration with the second master network interface controller and the second backup master interface controller.

Embodiments of wireless audio systems and methods for wirelessly communicating audio information are disclosed herein. In one example, a wireless audio system includes a primary wireless headphone and a secondary wireless headphone. The primary wireless headphone is configured to receive, from an audio source, audio information using a short-range wireless communication protocol; transmit, to the audio source, a first message indicative of whether the audio information is successfully received; and transmit a communication parameter associated with the short-range wireless communication protocol used between the audio source and the primary wireless headphone. The secondary wireless headphone is configured to receive, from the primary wireless headphone, the communication parameter; receive, from the audio source, the audio information based on the communication parameter using the short-range wireless communication protocol; and transmit, to the audio source, a second message when the audio information is successfully received. The first message and second message determine whether to re-transmit the audio information.

The invention relates inter alia to a method of operating a communication system (10). Each communication node (11, 12, 13, 14) of the communication system (10) preferably tracks a successful reception of data signals (D) and requests a switch and/or switches from a currently used communication channel (C1) to another communication channel (C2-C6) in case that no successful receptions were made within a given maximum time interval.

A robotic surgical system is disclosed having a ring network for communicating information between a controller and nodes of one or more robotic arms. A communications protocol is described by which synchronous and asynchronous information can be communicated to and from the nodes of the robotic arms. Also disclosed are various aspects of a physical layer that can be used with the network.