A communication device includes a master station, a ring-type transmission line whose start point and end point are connected to the master station, and a plurality of slave stations connected to the ring-type transmission line in parallel. The master station transmits a signal and feeds electric power from both of the start point and the end point of the ring-type transmission line. Each of the slave stations includes an impedance variable element connected to the ring-type transmission line in parallel, and values are set to the impedance variable elements in accordance with the connection positions of the slave stations.

An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a ring transport having a plurality of nodes and a wire interconnect coupling the plurality of nodes in a ring. The wire interconnect including a wire to transmit clock wake signals around the ring transport in advance of data signaling representing a data packet. Each node is to switch from a clock gated state to a clocked state responsive to receiving a clock wake signal. The ring transport further includes a sleep controller coupled to a select node of the plurality of nodes. The sleep controller is to configure the select node into a clock suppression state for a specified duration responsive to identifying an idle condition on the ring transport via monitoring of the wire. While in the clock suppression state the node suppresses further transmission of any clock wake signals received at the select node.

A web handling system is described, including a plurality of web handling controllers and a web handling process logic controller networked to form a ring network. A processor of the web handling process logic controller being configured to determine whether a fault exists within the ring network, and responsive to determining that a fault exists within the ring network, to generate and send signals throughout the ring network to switch the configuration of the ring network to at least one linear network.

A communications network and method for operating the communications network that includes ring devices that are networked to one another in a ring topology, where the ring devices participate in a ring redundancy process in which an administrating ring device regularly sends test packets over the communications network, which received in sequence by other ring devices and successively forwarded by these devices back to the administrating ring device so as to detect faults in the communications network, where a transmission delay of a test packet along the ring topology because of interfering packets within the ring topology is prevented by synchronizing the ring devices and processing at least parts of a data traffic schedule in accordance with the 802.1Qbv standard in the ring redundancy process applied, and where transmission of the test packets is scheduled and controlled such that the packets are forwarded to the ring devices substantially without delay.

A cascaded clock ring network includes a clock path that transmits a source clock through series-connected processing nodes, from a first processing node to a last processing node. A data path transmits data through the processing nodes in response to the transmitted source clock, from the first processing node to the last processing node. The last processing node provides the transmitted source clock as an end clock signal, and provides the transmitted data as end data values. The end data values are written into a FIFO memory in response to the end clock signal. The end data values are subsequently read from the FIFO memory using the source clock signal, and are provided to the first processing node. A synchronizing circuit ensures that a plurality of end data values are initially written into the FIFO memory before an end data value is read from the FIFO memory.

A communications network and method for operating the communications network that includes ring devices that are networked to one another in a ring topology, where the ring devices participate in a ring redundancy process in which an administrating ring device regularly sends test packets over the communications network, which received in sequence by other ring devices and successively forwarded by these devices back to the administrating ring device so as to detect faults in the communications network, where a transmission delay of a test packet along the ring topology because of interfering packets within the ring topology is prevented by synchronizing the ring devices and processing at least parts of a data traffic schedule in accordance with the 802.1Qbv standard in the ring redundancy process applied, and where transmission of the test packets is scheduled and controlled such that the packets are forwarded to the ring devices substantially without delay.

A ring network for interchanging data between a plurality of devices arranged in a vehicle includes a ring connection and a plurality of distributors. The distributors each have a plurality of communication pairs each having a transmitting unit and a receiving unit for transmitting and receiving data. Each of the devices is connected to one of the distributors via a first communication pair, to the ring connection via a second communication pair and likewise to the ring connection via a third communication pair. A direction of data flow in the second communication pair and the third communication pair is opposite.

A communication device includes a master station, a ring-type transmission line whose start point and end point are connected to the master station, and a plurality of slave stations connected to the ring-type transmission line in parallel. The master station transmits a signal and feeds electric power from both of the start point and the end point of the ring-type transmission line. Each of the slave stations includes an impedance variable element connected to the ring-type transmission line in parallel, and values are set to the impedance variable elements in accordance with the connection positions of the slave stations.

A network includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links communicatively coupling each of the nodes to at least one respective adjacent node via a first communication channel and to another respective adjacent node via a second communication channel. The nodes and links have a braided ring topology. First and second nodes of the plurality of nodes source data, are adjacent nodes, and at least one is a source node. The first node sends a first communication to the second node via a third node that is adjacent the first node and via a fourth node that is adjacent the second node. The second node sends a second communication to the first node via the third node and via the fourth node. At least one of the first and second nodes terminates transmission of the first and second communications when the first and second communications do not match.

A computerized apparatus configured for high-speed data transactions between components thereof. In one embodiment, the computerized apparatus includes a high-speed ring data bus apparatus with a plurality of nodes, and associated application apparatus in data communication with at least one of the nodes. A synchronous ring protocol is used to transfer data packets or frames around the ring data bus, so as to avoid data collisions. The packets or frames include both payload and control data, and may be addressed to higher layer processes of the application apparatus. In one variant, differentially signaled optical or electrical bus segments are utilized to interface with the nodes, and data is serialized before transmission on the ring data bus. In another variant, a common clock signal is transmitted around the ring with the data packets or frames.