A token-ring network for local data communications

Technical innovations such as large-scale integrated circuit technology and distributed operating systems have respectively reduced the cost of computing and provided a basis for large networks within the confines of a single building or cluster of buildings in close proximity to one another. Local area networks can provide a systematic approach for interconnecting personal workstations, control units, and central processing units, thereby providing a means for these machines to pass information from one to the other. This paper describes a local area network based on the fundamental concepts of a token-ring. Two main ideas are presented. The first idea concerns the physical topology of the wiring network and its star-ring organization. Next, the logical data flows are overlaid on the physical network to provide control procedures for exchanging data through the network. The resulting system has unique features that produce a local area network with good performance and reliability characteristics.