CA1301941C

CA1301941C - Local area network for digital data processing system

Info

Publication number: CA1301941C
Application number: CA000615862A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Bruce Mann; Darrell J. Duffy; Anthony J. Lauck; William Strecker
Original assignee: Digital Equipment Corp
Current assignee: Digital Equipment Corp
Priority date: 1984-06-01
Filing date: 1990-09-14
Publication date: 1992-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 2005-05-31
Also published as: AU633511B2; EP0374131A2; FI86018C; JPH0563706A; EP0374132A2; EP0374134A2; DE3586431T2; EP0374133A3; AU4141789A; EP0374132B1; BR8502706A; DE3586433T2; CA1257399A; EP0374131B1; EP0380141B1; FI86018B; JPH08214003A; DE3586430D1; DE3586434D1; EP0374132A3

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A local area network for interconnecting terminals and other users and data processing systems and other service providers over a communications link. The users and providers connect to the communications link by means of interface units each of which may connect to several users or providers. The interface units communicate over the communications link by means of messages. When a user requires the use of a service, the interface unit establishes a virtual circuit between it and the interface unit connected to the service provider and a service session which allows the user and the service provider to communicate over the virtual circuit. If-several users connected to the one interface unit as the first user require services provided by providers which connected to the same interface unit as the first provider, they communicate in sessions over the same virtual circuits. The session messages are accumulated into single virtual circuit messages that are acknowledged in unison by the receiving interface unit.
Each virtual circuit in the users' interface units includes a timer which reset when a message is transmitted over the virtual circuit and a data waiting flag set whenever data is present to be transitted over the virtual circuit. The interface units are inhibited from transmitting over a virtual circuit unless the timer has timed out and the data waiting flag is set.

Description

~36~

3ackground of the Invent1on 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to the field of digital data processing systems and more specifically to local area networks in which a plurality of such systems ~re interconnected to provide distributed processing capabilities to a number of users. In particular the invention provides improvements in message tran~fer protocols for local area networks to enhance the message tran6fer capability of the network.

2. Description of the Prior Art As small and medium-sized computer systems are becoming less expensive and more powerful, a number of them are being interconnected to form networks to ensure that a number of different types of services are available at any time to uQerS having dlverse processing needs. Such services may include any of the services whichlare normally available from such networks, including such as electronic mail (mail storage and ~orwarding), word processing, accounting, such as payroll or inventory, or data communication~ over telephone lines or microwave links. Interconnecting systems into a network helps to enhance the availability of services to service users by including a number of service providers in the network and having each provider provide one or more of the services, thus reducing the likelihood that the failure of any one service provider in the network will result in a significant number of services being unavailable to the users at any one time. Indeed, a local network may be arran~ed ~o as to have several ; service providers providing overlapping services, in which case several provlders have the ability to pcovide ' a particular service if one ~ervice provider fails or is saturated with service reque~ts.
Typically in a local area network, the communications in the network take place over one or a limited number of communications links. Exa~ples of such communications links include ~hose defined by well-known DECnet, SNA (System Network Architecture) or X.25 communications protocols using data links such as Ethernet. A number of service users, such as, for lD example, video terminals controlled by operatsrs, are connected through interface devices known as "terminal servecs" to the communcations link. Similarly, the service providers aee connected to ~he communications link through interface devices known as "nodes".
15If the operator desires to use a service provided by a unit connected to a node, it may request connection to the node and, through the node, to the unit to have the ` ~ service provided. Normally, the operatoc has to know the parti~ul~r node(s) and unit(s) that provides the desired service. The operator selects a node and unit to provide the service, and causes the terminal server to request service by that node and service provider. The terminal server and the node exchange messages which enable a "vietual circuit" to be established which provides a data 2S transfer mechanism between the operator's terminal and the provider of the service. ~he virtual circuit essentially extends frcm the operator's terminal, as the service user, ~hrough the terminal server, over the communications link and through the node to the service provider. If a number of user~ are using the local acea network, several virtual circuits may be established over the communications link to provide communications between the users and providers. In addi~ion, if ~everal ter~inals connected to one terminal server require ~3L3~

services from a ~ervice provider connected to the same node, separate virtual circuits are normally established between each terminal and service provider providing the required service.
Service data is transmitted in the form of messages through the virtual circuits between the terminals and the service providers. All of the messages are queued by the terminal server and transmitted over the single communications link. To ensure that the messages are received, units connected in the network re-transmit the message until an acknowledgement from the recipient is received verifying correct receipt. Specifically, the terminal server~ and nodes, after they transmit messages through the virtual circuits over the communications links, monitor the communications link for acknowledgements and i no acknowledgement is received within a selected period o time, corrective action is taken. Each message teansmitted through a virtual circu,it i~ acknowledged by a separate acknowledgement message through the virtual circuit, even i~ a series of messages are tran~mitted between the same terminal servee and node through diferent vietual circuits over the same communications l~nk. Each acknowledgement message must be separately genera~ed, and thus requires that time and facilities be dedicated at the receiving device to the generation of the separate acknowledgement messages.
Furthermore, requiring such separate acknowledgement messages could cau~e the communications link to quickly become unnecessarily burdened.
In current networks, message transfers through virtual circuits over a communications link are initiated either by the occurrence of certain events ("event driven" transmission), such as ~he presence of data to be transmitted, or by ~he ~iming-out of certain timers ,~

,, ~

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("timer-based" transmission~ Both the event-driven and timer based message transfer systems incorporate certain assumptions about message traffic through virtual cirouits over the communication link. The event driven systems assume that the communications link has sufficient bandwidth, even when it is being heavily used, to ensure that messages can be delivered from the terminal servers to the nodes, the messages can be processed by the service providers, and the responses to the messages can be returned to the terminal servers, all within a maximum tolerable delay period. If the communications link carries too high a level of message traffic, the delays will, however, become unacceptably long. Furthermore, if a u~it transmits data every time it receives a ~ew bytes of data from a service user or provider, a ~ignificant number of such messages will be composed primarily of virtual circuit identification information, which is necessary to ensure proper identif~lcation of the virtual circuit carrying message ovee the multiplexed communications link but otherwise serves no purpose~
Timer-based message transmission ~ystem~ ensure, on the other hand, that every unit connected to the communications link will be able to transmit messages over the link at periodic intervals. These systems en~ure that all of the unlt~ have relatively uniform access to the communications link. However, such systems also have a number of deficiencies. First, each unit, when its time comes to transmit, transmits messages through its virtual circuits whether or not it has any data to transmit, obvioualy wasting bandwidth on the communi~ations link. Furthermore, as uni~s are added to the system, the timers of all of the uni~s would have to 83-32g be adjusted to ensure that all of the units have reasonably equal access to the communications link.

Summary of the Invention The inven~ion pcovides a new local area network message transfer system which has enhanced message throughput between service users and service providers over a communications link in a local area network, while at the same time ensuring that all units have a relatively uniform access to the communications link for transferring messages.
In brief summary, the invention provides a local area network over which a plurality of users, such as terminals or printers, communica~e with service lS providers, such as data processing systems, data storage devices ~uch as disk or tape records, or data links such as telephone lines or miceowave transmission links~ One oe more d~vice servers connec~s directly to a commu~ications link~ Each device server is an interface to the communications link foe one oe more of the users.
5imilarly, one or more nodes connects to the commun~cations link, and each node is an interface to the communications llnk foe one or more service providers.
Periodically, each node transmits a service advertising message over the communication link which includes its identification, the identifications of the services that are provided by the service provid~rs connected to it, and a ratings for each of the services. Each device server eeceives these messages and records them in a service directory. The services available to a user by the service providers in the network may be viewed by the operators from the service directory stored by the device server~.

When an operator desires to use a service in the service directory, it enables ~he device servec to request the service. The device server then selects the particular provider to provide the service based on the ratings in the service directory, and identifies the node through which communications with the service provider can be conducted. If the device server is not then communicating with that node, it and the node establish a vîctual circuit through which they transfer messages. In addition, the device server establishes a service session between itself the user whose operator i5 requesting the service, and the node establishe~ a service session between itself and the service provider connec~ed to that node which provides the service requested by the user, lS with the service sessions at the device server and node, respectively, being linked and the identification of the session being known to the unit, that is, the device server or node, at the other end of the virtual circuit.
If any other users request services provided by service ~0 providers connected to that same node, similar sessions are establlshed ~or those users ~y the device server and for the service providee by the nodeR, and messages for all such session~ may be transferred through the same virtual circuit mult$plexed in slots in the s3me virtual circuit me~sage which serves all of the service users or providers. Therefore, the device server need not establish a new virtual circuit for every device which requires the service provided by a service provider connected to that node. Further~ore, only the virtual circuit messages are acknowledged, rather than the individual messages between service users and providers, thereby reducing the number of acknowledgemen~ messages transferred ~nd the resources at the device servers and nodes required to genera~e the acknowledgement messages.

Generally, message transfers between a device server and a node through a virtual ciccuit are initiated by a device server, and each message from a device server to a node is acknowledged by a message from the node. Each S message includes a response requested flag which may be set or cleared by the node. The response requested flag is set if the message includes session slot data, otherwise the flag is cleared. The portion of each virtual circuit in the device server includes a server circuit timer and a data waiting flag (DWF) which is set either by the receipt of a message from the node having a set response requested flag or in responRe to the receipt of slot data from the service users which use the virtual circuit. Normally, the node will send a message only in response to a message from the device server; however, if the response requested flag in the prior message was cleared, which occurs if the node did not send any data in the prior message, the node may send another message to thje device server whlch includes data before it receives a subsequent message fcom the device server.
When a device ~erver transmits a message through the virtual circuit over the communications llnk, the server circuit tlmer, pre-set to a selected value, begins to decrement. When the server circuit timer times out and ifthe data waiting flag is set, the device server transmits a message through the virtual circuit. Until the server circuit timer times out, the device server is inhibi~ed from transmitting a new message over the virtual circuit. Furthermore, the data waiting flag inhibits the de~ice ~erver from transmiting any messages until the data waiting flag is set indicating it has received a message from the node in which the response requested flag is et or ~hat i~ has new slot data from the service users to ~end.

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The response requested flag allows the node to immedi-ately acknowledge a message received from the device server, whether or not it has data to send immediately, and to reserve for itself the ability to transmit a second message which has data if no data is sent in the initial message, which second message can be sent even if it xeceives no intervening message from the device server. The response requested flag in conjunction with the data waiting flag allows the node to force the device server to acknowledge a message that includes data when the server circuit timer next times out, whether or not the device server has data to send. The server circuit timer establishes a minimum delay period after the device server transmits a message before it transmits a subsequent message, thereby allowing other device servers to transmit messages through virtual circuits which they have established over the communications link. The device server and the node thus have the benefit of both a timer based system, based on the server circuit timer, and an event driven system, based on the response requested and data waiting flags.
The invention may be summarized, according to one aspect, as a node for connection to a local area network including a device server unit which connects to a service user and a communications link to effect transfers of messages between the node and device server unit to enable said service user and node to communicate, said node including:
A. data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;

3 3~

B. message transmission means connected to said d~ta storage means for transmitting messages including a data field for transmission of data from said data storage means and a response requested flag field having selected values, the value of said response requested flag field identifying whether the data field contains data or is empty;
C. message receiving means for receiving messages from the communications link;
D. transmission enabling means connected to said message transmission means and said message receiving means for enabling said message transmission means to transmit a message in response to the receipt by said message receiving means o a message and to the transmission ~y said message transmission means of a message whose data field ~as empty, said transmission enabling means disabling said message transmission means following a transmission of a message whose data field contains data until receipt of a message by said message receiving means.
According to another aspect, the invention provides a local area network including a server and a node interconnected by a communications link;
A. said node transmitting a node message including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having selected conditions depending on the presence of data in said data field;
Bo said server including-i. timing means for asserting a timing signal at the ; 8a -~ 68061-50G

end of a predetermined timing interval;
ii. data storage means for storing data for transmis-sion to said node;
iii. data waiting flag means having selected conditions;
iv. message transmission means for generating a server message for transmission over the communications link in response to the coincidence of said timing signal and the data waiting flag means having a predetermined one of said conditions, said message transmission means further resetting said timing means and enabling said timing means to begin its timing operation in response to the transmission of a message;
v. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and vi. da~a waiting ~lag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for establishing the condi-tion of said data waiti~g flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted and the condition of said xesponse requested flag in a node message received by said server message receiving means.
Brief Descri tion of the D.rawings . . _ ~
This invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The above and further advantages of this invention may be better understood by referring to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
; Figure 1 is a general block diagram of a local area - 8b -network constructed in accordance with this invention;
Figure 2A is a diagram illustrating the contents of a service advertising message transmitted by the service providers in the network depicted in Figure 1, and Figure 2B is a diagram of a data base established by the service - 8c -users in the network of FIG. l in response to the service advertising message depicted in FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3A 1~ a diagram depicting a virtual eircuit and service sessions that is useful in understanding the operations of the network depicted in FIG. l;
FIGS. 3B and 3C are diagrams depicting databases used by the service providers and service users in the network depicted in FIG. 1;
: FIG. 4 is a state diagram usef ul in understandinq the operation of the virtual circuit depicted in FIG. 3A;
FIG. 5 i~ a sta~e diagram useul in understanding the operation of the service sessions depicted in FIG. l;
FIGS. 6A through 6D depict various formats of virtual circuit messages transmitted through the virtual circuit depicted in FIG~ 3A;
FIGS. 7A through 7D depict the formats of session slot messages transmitted between corresponding sessions in the device servers and nodes as depicted in FIG. 3A;
and , FIG. ~ depict the timings of messa~es transmitted through the virtual c~rcuits as depicted in FIG. 3A.
Detailed Descrip~ion of an Illustra ive_Embodiment FIG. l lllustrate~ a local area network 10 in which a plurality of seevice users, generally indicated by reference numeral 12, communicate with a plurality of service providers, generally indicated by reference numeral 14, over a common communications link 16. A
communications link l~ may take ~he form of any one of a number of communications lines and interface circuitry which transfer data between the service users and service providers in bit serial or parallel form. For example, the communications link may take the form of a coaxial cable and interface circuitry which transmits messages using the well-known Ethecnet local area network ~ 9~ 6~6~-5~G

protocol. In that pcotocol, data is organized into messages having a predetermined format and transmitted in bit serial form between stations over the coaxial cable.
A numb~r of other communications links using diverse 5 protocols exist which could also be used in the local area network depict~d in FIG. l; the specific communications link selected is not an aspect of the invention.
The service users 12 may include a plurali~y of devices such as, for example, video disp~ay terminals 18, printers 20, and personal computers 22. Network 10 also includes a plurallty of device servers 24 each of which connect to seveeal service users and enable the service users to communicate over communications link 16 with the lS service providers 14. The ~ervice providers 14 may include devices such as processors 26, disk drives 28, tape storage units 30 ancl data links 3~ (such as telephone lines or microwave links) and analog-to-digital converters 33. Network 10 also includes a plurality of nodes 34, each o~ which may be connected to several service providers. Furthermore, each node 34 connects directly to communication~ llnk 16 and provides communications between the service providers connected to it and the communications link.It will be appreciated that ln some cases a service provider and node may be integrated into one unit that performs both functions.
The service providers 14 provide service to the service users 12. Such services may include, for example, electronic mail storage and forwarding among service users, word processing capabilities, access to programs such as payroll accoun~ing, inventory control or the like, the ability to store or retrieve records on or from disk and tape files, the ability to communicate over telephon~ lines and microwave links, and the abili~y to ~3~

acquire data from, for example, scientific instruments through analog-to-digital convecters 33. Such se~vices, as well as additional services, are well known in the art and will not he discussed further herein.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that some service users may also provide services. For example, certain per~onal computers 22 in network 10, in addition to being a service user, may also have programs that may be accessed and used by ~nother user, such as a terminal 18. In that case, the personal computer may be connected to a node 34 as well as to a device server 24 to make its programs available to a service user as services~ A unit which interfaces the personal computer to the communications link may provide the facilities of both a node and a device server.
Periodically, each node 34 transmits an "advertising" message which is received by all of the device servers 24, which identifies itself and the services provided by the service providers 14 connected to that node, as well as a "rating" for each service.
With reference to FIG. 2A, the service adverti-qing message includes a plurality of fields including a header 50 which depends on the pro~ocol used over a communications line 16 and a body 54. In one embodiment, the heade~ 50 has a node identification field 51 which identifies the transmitting node, a protocol type field 52 identifying the message a~ the service advertising message, and a multi-cast address field 53 which enables all of the device servers 24 to receive the message. Following the header 50, the node transmits the body 54 of the message which identifies the various services provided by it and the rating for each service.
The ratings indicate, for example, how prompt the service provider 14 may be in responding to a service request, . ~ .

~3~41 based in part on the number of service users 12 then using the service provided by the specif ic provid~r and, thus, the potential delay in responding to communications from another 6ervice user who might request the service.
After receiving service advertising messages from the nodes 34, each device server 24 (FIG. 1) establishes a service directory such as depicted in FIG. 2B. The directory comprises a table in which the node identifications, the services provided by the nodes, and the service ratings are stored. Thus, if an operator at a service user 12 desires ~o use one of the services shown in the directory, the device server can use the contents of the secvice directory depicted in FIG. 2~ to determine which nodes provide that service. If more than lS one node provides the service requested, the device server uses the rating in the rating fields to determine which node has the highest rating for the service and requests that node to provide the service.
The diverse services that are available from the service provider~ may be divided into gro~ps or classes and each user may be able to access only those serv ices that are of interest t~ him. The service names may be organlzed into group~ identified by group names, and the device server will display only those services to a particular user which are in the groups which the user can access.
When a user 12 requires a service provided by a service provider 14 identified in the service directory, the devlce server 24 begins to establish a virtual circuit S~ between itself and the node 34 that provides ~: the service wi~h the mos~ desirable service rating. With reference to FIG. 3A, the device server 24 in a conventional manner establishes a virtual circuit state machine 60 which provides two-way data communications .

13~

over a pair of unidirec~ional data pipes with a virtual circuit state machine 64 established by node 34. The virtual circuit state machines 60 and 64 and the data pipes 62 provide a means for transferring data, in the form of messages between the ~evice server 24 and the node 34 over the communications link 16. It will be appreciated that message communications through a number of data pipes 62 may be multiplexed over the communications link 16, and, accordingly, the communications link provides message communcatlons for a number of virtual circuits in network 10.
The virtual circuit state machine 60 at the device server 24 communicates with the individual service users 12 by m~ans of service sessionæ using separate session state machines 66 which the device server establishes in a conventional manner for each user.
Similarly, the node's virtual state machine 64 communicates with the service providers 14 using separate session state machines 68.
The device server 24 and node 34 use messages transmitted over communication link 16 to set up the virtual circuit and the Yession state machine~, which will be described below in connection with FIGS. 4 through 7D. In brief, however, when a user 12 requires service by a service provider 14, the device server 24 first determines whether a virtual circuit exists between it and the node 34 selected by the device server~ If no such virtual circuit exists, the device server 24 transmi~s a virtual circuit message over communications link 16 to node 34 which causes the node to establish its virtual circuit state machine 64 to support its end of the v~rtual circult 58. A session state machine 66 is also set up between its virtual circuit state machine 60 ~ .

~ 3~

and the user 12 to allow data and other information to be accumulated from and transerred to the userO
In a succeeding virtual circuit message, after the virtual circuit is set up, a session slot is transmitted S by device server 24 to node 34 theough the virtual circuit 5B, spe~ifically over the communications link 16, identifying the required service, and the node 34 sets up a session state machine 68, which connects to the service provider which provides the required service and allows data and other in~ormation to be transferred between the virtual circuit state machine and the service provider.
Each session state machine collects information to be teansferred from i~s connected user oc service provider and provides the information in the form of session lS messages to the virtual circuit state machine, which in tu~n accu~ulates the session messages from various service users' or providers' state machines which are to be transferred between ~he same device server 24 and node 34 and forms a single virtual circuit message for transfer through ~he vir~ual circuit 58 over the communications link 16. On receiving a virtual circuit message ~rom the virtual circuit 58, the eeceiving virtual circuit state machine transfers the ~ession message~ to the respective session state machines that are the intended recipients for transfer to the re~pective service users 12 and service provlders 14, and returns a single acknowledgement message oYer the virtual circuit to verify receipt of the virtual circuit message.
It will be appreciated that requiring only a single virtual circuit acknowledgement message for the multiplexed messages between service users and providers reduces the acknowledgement mes~age traffic from that ; often required in the prior art, thereby reducing the traffic overhead ov~r communications link 16, and also , reduces the overhead required at the device server and node to generate the acknowledgement messages.
The virtual state machines 60 and 64 in device server 24 and node 34 respectively include a data base as depicted in FIG. 3B used in ~ransmitting and receiving messages through pipes 62. Data base 70 includes a remote identificatio~ word 72 and a local identification word 74. The identification words 72 and 74 contain the identification of the virtual circuit 58 as assigned by node 34 and device server 24. The contents of the local identification word 74 are assigned by the unit in which the data base 70 eesides, and ~he contents of the remote identification word 72 are assigned by the other unit engaged in the virtual circuit. Thus, in the virtual circuit data base 70 which resides in device server 24, the local identification ~ord is assigned by the device server and the remote identification word is assigned by the node 34 which provides the other end of the virtual circuit. Similarly~ in the virtual circuit data base 70~FIG. 3B) residing in node 34, the contents of the local identification word 74 are assigned by the node, and the contents of the remote identification word 72 is assigned by the device server. The contents of the two .Identification words 72 and 74 are transmitted in the virtual circuit messages transferred through the virtual circuit over communications link to allow the device server and node to iden~ify the messages transferred over communication~ link 16 as being associated with the particular virtual circuit.
The virtual clrcuit data base 70 also includes a message type field 76 which identifies the type of virtual circuit message to be transmitted next. Three types of virtual circuit messages are transmitted over a virtual circuit, namely, a START virtual circuit message, ~f,~

a RUN message, and a STOP virtual circuit message, which are detailed below in connection with FI~S. 4 and 6A
through 6D.
An M field 78 identifies whether the unit including the data base 70 is a master or slave unit. In the network 10 t~IG. 1) device servers 24 are always masters and nodes 34 are always slaves; communications over a vir~ual circuit are always initiated by the device servers and the nodes always acknowledges or responds to the communications from the device servers.
An ~ field 80, when set~ indicates that the last sent message requires a response.
Data base 70 also lnclude~ message counters 82 and acknowledgement counters 84. Each message transmitted by device server 24 or node 34 includes a message sequence number that is checked by the virtual circuit state machine in the receiving unit to ensure that the successive messages are properly received in sequence.
Messages are re-transmitted to ensure that they are properly received if they are not acknowledged within a predetermined time; the sequence numbers ensure that the receiving device does not treat a re-transmitted message as a new mes~age if it, in fact, correctly received the message on a previous transmission. The contents of the message countecs ~2 identify the number of messages which have been transmitted and received, and the acknowledgement counters contain the message numbers of the messages which have been acknowledged. Thus, iE a message number is skipped, or if acknowledgements are not received in numerical order, the device server and node can determine which messages may have not been properly transmit~ed over communication~ link 16.
A data waiting flag (~WF) 86 is set whenever any session state machine has data to send over the virtual ~3~ 68061-50G

circuit. In a device server 24, the data waiting flag is set when a message is received from a node which requir~s a response.
A retransmit counter 88 and retransmit timer 90 are used in reteansmitting messages which have not been acknowledged within a time selected by the retransmit timer. The transmitting unit re~ransmits each unacknowledged message a number oF ~imes as selected by the retransmit counter 88~ If the message is not acknowledged after the retransmit counter counts out, the other end of the vittual CiECUit is marKed out of service.
The virtual circuit data base 70 ln a device server 24 also includes a ~ervee circuit timer 92. When the device server 24 transmits a message, it resets i~s server circuit timer 92 and is thereafter inhibited from transmitting a subsequent message until the server circuit timer times out. Thus, even i the data waiting flag 86 is set, indicating that the device server has infoemation to transmit in a virtual circuit message, the device server i9 inhibited from transmitting virtual circuit messages over virtual circuit 58 until the server circult tlmer times out. Conversely, even if the server circuit timer 92 has timed out the device server 24 does not transmit any messages unleæs the data waiting flag 86 is set. After ~he server circuit timer time~ out, if the vietual circuit'~ data waiting flag 86 is thereafter set and the previously transmitted messages have been acknowledged, the device server 24 may then immediately transmit a new virtual circuit message over the virtual circuit 58. If a previously transmitted message has not been acknowledged, a device ~erve~ or node waits an amount of time as ~pecif ied by the rel:ransmit timer 90 and then retransmits ~he unacknow~edged message.

~ 3~ 68061-50G

~8 The server circuit timer 92 thus ensures at least a minimum delay period between the transmission of new virtual circuit messages by the device ~erver 24 through any particular virtual c~rcuit. Thus, when traffic is heavy through the virtual circuit and the data waiting flag is set before the server circuit timer times out, message transmissions will be bas~d on the timing out of the server circuit timer 92. However, if traffic is light through the virtual circuit, the virtual circuit message transmission will be based on the setting of the data waiting flag 86. Since, with one exception as explained below, the nodes 34 only respond to or otherwise acknowledge virtual ciccuit messages from the device serversr the server circuit timers and the data waiting flags in the device servers also govern message traffic from the nodes through the virtual circuits. The network lO (FIG. l) thus achieves the benefits of both the timer-based message tcansfers and the event-driven message trans~ers, the event~driven transfers being initiated by the presence of information from user 12 or transfer over the virtual circuits, and the timer based message transfers being based on the timing out of the servee circuit timer, without having the detriments of either.
The virtual circuit data base 70 in a device server 24 also includes a keep-alive timer 94 which enables the device server to send a message over the vittual circuit if it has no~ sen~ any messages thereovee for a very long period of time, to ensure that the node 34 maintains support for its end oE the virtual circuit. The node 34 responds thereby informing the devioe server that lt also has not gone down.
As noted above, the ~ervice user and service provider providing the service required by the user 3~3~

communicate by means of session slots. More specifically, the session state machines at the device server and node transfer session slots which cause transitions between states in the respective session state machines and also transfer service data and status information between the service user and provider.
Each session state machine uses a session data base 100 depicted in FIG. 3C. The session data base includes a remote identification field 102 and a local identification field 104, which are used in the same way as a virtual circuit state machine uses the remote and local identification fields 72 and 74 ln the virtual circuit data base 70(FIG. 3B3. Specifically, each virtual circuit message that la transmitted over a virtual circu$t may include session slots for different secvice sessions (that i9, session slots intended to be used by different sess.ion state machines ~n the device servers and nodes that communlcate over the same virtual circuit) and the remote and local identification fields 102 and 104 identify the session and session state machines that are the intended recipients of the session slots. The contents of local identification field are assigned by the unit in which the data base resides, and the contents of the remote data base are aRsigned by the other unlt.
Each session data base 100 also includes a data buer 106 for storing data received from or to be transmitted to the service user 12 or service provider~ 14 associated with the part~cular session state machine.
When the data buffer 106 is loaded with data from the user 12 or service provider 14 connected to the particulat session state machine~ a data ready fla~ 108 is set, which in turn enables the data waiting flag 86 in , ' .

~3~

the virtual circuit data base 70 to be set. When the device server or node thereafter sends a message virtual circuit, it can poll the data ready flags of the service sessions assigned to the virtual circuit to determine whether their data buffers have data to transmit, and may remove the contents of vaeious fields, inclduing the data from the data buffers 106 whose associated data ready flags as set, to generate session slots for transfer in a virtual circuit message.
A byte count field 110 identifies the number of bytes of data in the data buffer 10~ and is sent with the data in the session slot.
A ~ession slot type field 11~ identifies the type of session slot to be sent. Five types of session messages can be sent, including START, STOP, REJECT, DATA, and STATUS messages. The contents of the session messages will be described below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 7A
theough 7D.
Local and remote credits fields 114 and 116 in the session data base 100 relate to the number of slots that are available, with each slot relating to a ~pecific amount of data. Each session slot transmitted over a virtual circuit includes a credits field which identifies the amount of space available in the data buffer for any response $nformation from the unit at the othec end of the virtual circuit engaged in the service session. The contents of the credits field in the message is provided by the contents of the local credits field 114 in the session data base 100 of the uni~ transmitting the message. The contents of the remote credits field 116 is provided by the con~ents of the credits portion of the session 910t recelved from the unit at the other end of the virtual circuit.

~3~

FIG. 4 illustrates the various states of virtual circuit state machines 60 and 64 (FIG. 3A) and the various messages which can be transmitted over the virtual circuit during those states and which cause transitions among states. FIGS. 6A thcough 6D detail the contents of the various virtual circuit messages. As noted above, three types of virtual circuit messages are transmitted through the virtual circuit, including a START virtual circuit message, a S~OP virtual circuit message, and a RUN message. The START and STOP victu~l circuit messages are used to establish and abolish the virtual circuit, and the RUN message is used to transfer information, including session slots, between service users and providers.
With reference to FIG. 4, the state machines 60 and 64 in the device server 24 and node 34 respectively are both initially in a HALTED state. When a user 12 requires a service provided by a service provider 14 connected to a node 34, if no virtual circuit exists between the device se~ver 24 and that node 34, the device server 24 transmlts a START vi~tual circuit message to node 34.
FIG. 6A depicts the general format of a virtual circuit message. With reerence ~o FIG. 6A, the message 2~ begins with a communications link header 120, the format of which depends on the particular communiation5 link 16 selected for the network 10. In the specific embodiment in which the communications link conforms to the Ethernet protocol, the communications link header includes a destination address field 122 and a source address field 124 which identiy the particular sending and receiving node and device ~eever, and a protocol type 126.

.

J~$~
2~ 83-324 After the communications link header 120, the message includes a virtual circuit header 130 which identifies the virtual circuit over which the message is being tranRmitted. The virtual circult headee includes a destination virtual circuit identification field 132 and a source ~irtual circuit identiication field 134 the contents af which are provided by the remote and local identification fields 72 and 74 in data base 70 (FIG. 3B). These ~ields 132 and 134 identify the virtual circuit through which the message is being tcansmitted.
Since each receiving unit may have sev~ral virtual circuits, even between itself and the same node or device .
servec, the fields 132 and 134 are used to identify the specific vietual ciccuit for which the message received over communications link 16 is intended. If the message is a START virtual circuit message from device server 24, with reference to FIG~ 6B, the destination virtual clrcuit identification field 132 contains a "0", and the ~ource virtual clrcuit identification field contains an identification that i~ assigned by the device server 24.
The virtual circuit header 130 also include~ a message type field, an M flag and an R flag the contents of which ace provided by fields 76, 78, and 8Q in the virtual circuit data base 70 ~FI~. 3B3. The header 30 also includes message sequence and acknowledgement sequence numbers taken from counters 82 and B4, and a field 136 which identiies the number of session slot~
that may be included in a data field 140. The contents of session number field 136 is used only in connection 30 with a RUN virtual circuit message (FIG. 6C) described below. In a START virtual circuit message, the data : field 14Q contains information used by the recipient in setting up ~he virtual circuit, and in a STOP virtual clrcuit ~essage (FIG. SD) the d~ta field contains infoemation as to the reason the virtual circuit is being stopped~
A vir~ual circuit message (FIG. 6~) ends ln an error check field 142 which contains a cyclic redundancy check word used to verify ~hat the message was received without errors.
With reference again to FIG. 4, after the device server 24 transmits the START virtual circuit message, it shifts from a HALTED state to a STARTING sta~e.
Similarly, when the node 34 receives the START virtual circuit message, it hifts from a HALTED state to a STA~TING state and responds with either a START virtual circuit message, indicating that it will support and participate in the virtuaI circuit, or a STOP virtual lS circuit message, indicating that it will not support the virtual circuit. In either case, the node 34 retrieves the contents o the source virutal circuit identification field 134 from the message and stores it in the remote identi~ication field 72 in its virtual circuit data base 70 as the device server's identification o the virtual c~rcuit.
With reference again to FIG. 6B, if the node responds with a START virtual circult message, the node uses the contents o the souece virtual circuit identification ~ield 134 rom the device server's START
virtual clrcuit message as the contents of the destination virtual circuit field 132 in its responding START virtual circuit message. The node also provides the content~ of the source virtual circuit identifica~ion field 134 ~FIG. 6A) as its identification code for the virtual circuit. The device server retrieves the contents of this field, s~ore it in the remote identification ield in its data base 70 for this virtual circuit and thereafter uses it in the destination virtual circuit identification field 132 of future messages transmitted over the virtual circuit.
With reference to FIG. 6D, if the node cesponds with a STOP virtual circuit message, it also provides a source virtual circuit identification code and the data field 140 identifies the reason that the node will not support the virtual circuit; one such reason may be that ! the node 34 is currently supporting other virtual circuits and has insufficient resources to provide support for another virtual circuit. If the node 34 transmits a STOP virtual circuit message to the device server, both the node and the device server return to the -halted state. The device ~erver may then attempt to establish a virtual circuit to another node connected to a service provider that provides the desired service or inform the user that the service is not available i F no other node provides the seevice.
In addition, the user mAy determine, after the device server has teansmitted a STA~T virtual circuit message, that it does not need to use the particular service. This is indicated in FIG. 4 by a USER ~iALT
directed at the STARTING state of devlce server 29. If that occurs, the device server transmits a STOP virtual circuit message (FIGS~ 6A and 6D) to node 34. Both virtual circuit state machines 60 and 64 then re~ur~ to the halted condition.
If node 34 responds wi~h a START virtual circuit message, and if no USER HALT occurs at the device server 24 in the s~arting state, both the state ~0 machines 60 and 64 (FIG. 3A~ shift ~o a RUNNING state.
In ~his condi~ion, the device ~erver 24 and node 34 can ~ransmi~ RUN virtual circui~ messages depicted in FIGS. 6A and 6C. In this condition, the data field 140 contains session slots which are described below ~FIGS~ 5 and 7A through 7D). The number of session messages is identified in the session number field 136 in the virtual circuit header 130 (FXG. 6A)r In the session messages, the device servee 24 and node 34 transmit service information between the service users 12 and service providers 14 ~FIG. lj, more specifically the service information is transmitted between service state machines 66 and 68.
When the user no longec needs a service, it disconnects from the service, and, if no other users are using the virtual circuit, a USER HALT condi~ion exists.
I~ the state machines 60 and 64 are both in the ~UNNING
state, the device server may transmit a STOP virtual circuit message ~FIGS. 6A and 6D) to node 34 and return t~ the l3ALTED state.
As has been noted above, when the virtual circuit state machines 60 and 64 are in the running state, the device server 24 and node 34 can tran~mit RUN virtual circuit messages whlch include cession slots. Using the session ~lots, the sess~on state machines 66 and 68 are established, and service data and status information are transmitted between the service u~er and provider. When the service user no longer needs the service, the session state machines may then be abolished, thereby terminating the service fiession. The session slots which are depicted in FIGS. 7~ through 7D. ~y means of the session slots, the session state mach~nes 66 and 68 shift among various states as depicted in FIG~ 5.
With reference to FIG. 5, the ~ssion state machine 66 of device secver 24 has five states, including a HALTED state, a STARTING state, an AaORT START state, a RUNNING state, and a STOPPING state. The session state machine 68 of node 34 has four states, including a HALTED
state, a STARTING state~ a RUNNING s~ate, and a STOPPING

~3~4~ 68061-50G
e3-324 state. Initially, both state machines 66 and 68 are in a halted state, and when a u~er requests a particular service, the device server transmi~s a START session message, in a virtual circui~ me~sage through the virtual ci~cuit.
With reference to FIG. 7A, the format ~f a session message includes a session header 150 which includes destination session identification field 152, a source session identification field 154, a byte count field 156, a session slot type field 158, and a credits field 160. A
session data field 162 carries information for establishing and abolishing a sess~on and service session data and ~tatus information. The destination and source session identification fields lS2 and 154 are used in the lS identical manner as the destination and source virtual circuit identification fields 122 and 124 ~FIG. 6A) described above~ The contents of these fields are stored in and taken from the remote and local identlfication fields 102 and 104 in the session data base 100 ~FIG.3C).
The contents of the byte count field 156 identify the length of the 8e~sion d~ta field 162, and are taken ~rom the byte count field llO in the data base lO0. The content~ o~ the ~ession ~lot type f ield are taken from field 112 in the se~sion data base, and identify the ~ype o~ message being transmitted. As noted above, five types of session 610ts may be transmitted. The con~ents of the CREDITS field 160 are ~ken from the local credits field 114 in session da~ca ba~e 100 (FIG. 3C) to identiy the number oP slots that are available in the data : 30 buffee 106 for any response. When a unit receives a : session slot, the contents o~ the ~R~DITS field may be stored ~n the remote credits f~eld 116 of the session database 100 to ~ndicate the amoun~ of space in the data ~3~

buffer 106 available for a subsequent session slot transfer.
In the STA~T session slot (FIG. 7a) the session data field 162 provide~ inEormation required by the session state machine at node 34 for setting up the session.
Such info~mation may ~nclude, for example, the type of service eequired, thereby identifying the service provider which is to engage in the service session, and size of the data buffer 106 set aside ~or the session in the device server.
After the device Recver 24 transmits the START
session slot, the session state machine 66 shifts to a STARTING state. After the node receives the START
message, the node's ~esslon state machine 68 ~hlfts to the ST~TING state and the node responds with either a START session slot, after which the state machine 68 shifts to the RUNNING state, or a REJECT session slot (FIG. 7D), after which the state machine shifts to the I~ALTED state. In either case, the node 34 supplies its session identification codc in the source session identification ~ield 154 (FIG. 7A). If the node responds with a REJECT session slot, the credits fleld 160 also contains the reason that it i~ rejecting the service session~ Such reasons may lnclude, for e~ample, that the node is unable to provide the ~ervice because of inadequate resources, or that the node or the service provider i~ ~hutting down.
With reference again to FIG. 5, the device server 24 may receive the START session or REJECT session 510t from 30 node 34 when it is in either the STARTING state or in an ABORT START state. The device server's session state machine 66 shifts f~om ~he STAR~NG state to the A~ORT
START ætage if a user disconnect request, indica~lng that the user does not want to use the service which it ~3~?~4~

previously selected, is received from a user before either a START ~ession or a REJECT session slot is received from node 34 . If the session state machine 66 i8 in the ABORT START ~tat~, and if a REJECT session slot is received, the session state machine 66 merely returns to the E~ALT~D state. However, if a S~T session slot is received, the device server 24 transmits a STOP session slot over ~he vir~ual circuit to the node causing i~s session state machine 68 to return to the HAL~ED state.
In either case, both session ~tate machines 66 and 68 return to the ~3ALTED state.
However, if the device server's session state machine 66 is in the STARTING state, and if the device server receives a START message from the node ~4, its session state machine shifts to the ~UNNING s~ate. In that state, and with the node's session state machine 68 in the RUNNING state, RUN session slot~ including service data and status information may be transmitted back and forth between device server 24 and node 34 over the virtual circult. With re~erence to FIGS. 7A ~nd 7C, the session data field 162 in such me~sages contains user and service provider data and status information.
; Ater the operator determines that it no longer requires acces~ to the service, the user requests disconnection from the service and both state machines 66 and 68 shift to the STOPPING state and then return to the halted state.
FIG. 8. depicts the timing~ of various messages transm~tted between a d~vice server 24 and node 34, in response to the service circuit timer 92 and t~e R flag 80, the R ~lag in the server being set or cleared by the R field in a virtual circuit header in a message from the node. FIG. 8 also illustrates the ~imings of the retransmissions oP various messages that are not recelved :3L3~
~3-324 by the qerver and node, in response to the re-transmit timers 90 in each unit. Specifically, when a node receives a message from the device server, it will respond with a message having the R field being either S set or clear depending on whether or not the message includes data. If the message does not include any data, the R field is clear, and the node may thereafter teansmit a second message to the device server which includes data. The second message has a set R field.
This is illustrated in time (E ) . As shown at times (F) and (G), the second message may cross with another message from the device server, which may transmit a message when itB data waiting flag is set, when it~
service circuit timer times out. The R field being set forces the data wa~ting flag to be set, ~hereby enabling the server to ~end an acknowledging message to the node, whether or not it actually has data to send. The R field being cl~ar enables ~he node to thereafter send another message with data, thereby removing the constraint on ~he node thak it ~end messages, and therefoee data, only when it eeceives message~ rom the server.
A detailed description of the operatioo of network 10 (FIG. 1) will now be presented. Periodically, each node 34 connected ~nto net~ork 10 transmits a multicast service advertising message (FIG. 2A) identifying the particular services which are available through it. All of the device serv~rs receive the advertising message and establish a service directory (FIG. 2~) identifying the services which are available and the nodes and ratings of the services available through each node. The available services may be displayed ~o the operators of the ~rvice users from the device servers' directories.

~3-324 When a secvice user 12 requires the use of a service, its device server 24 determines which node 34 provides the service and which has the highest ~ervice rating for that service. The device server 24 then de~ermines whether it has a virtual circuit 58 between itself and that node. If no such virtual circuit exists, the device server transmi~s a S~ART vir~ual c~rcuit message (FIGS. 6A and 6B) to the node to attempt to establish a virtual circuit over communications link 16.
lQ If the node responds with a START virtual circuit message, the virtual clrcuit has been established and the device server 24 then establishes a ses~ion between the virtual circuit 58 and the user 12 requesting the service. It will be appreciated that, if a virtual circuit already exists to the requlred node, the device server need not set up another virtual circuit, but instead may proceed to the next steps and use the existing virtual circuit foe communlcations. With some communications links, ~uch as a link conforming to the Ethernet protocol, it may be desirable to limit the number of users uslng a single virtual circult, since the length of each virtual ciecuit message ls limited.
Accordlngly, even if a virtual circuit is already established between the device server and node, it may be desirable to establish additional virtual circuits if too many users are already using one virtual circuit.
After the virtual circuit is established, the device server 24 then may transmit virtual circuit messages through the virtual circuit including se sion messages multiplexed from several service sessions. A session begins with a START session 910t ~FIGS. 7A and 7B~
transmitted to device server 24 to node 34 identifying the required service, in an attempt to establish a service se~sion over the virtual clrcuit 58 with the 9~1 service provider 14 which provides the required service.
If the service session is established, service data and status information can be transmitted in RUN session messages.
The rate at which the device server can transmit virtual circuit messages over the communications link 16 is limited by the server circuit timer 92 (FIG. 3B~
thereby allowing messages for other vir~ual circuits to be multiplexed over ~he communications link.
Furthermore, the data wai~ing flags 86 in the respective device server and node inhib~t ~hem from transmitting virtual circuit messages through the virtual circuit until it has information transmit. Thus, neither the device server nor the node transmits any messages over the virtual circuit 58 unless information is available to be transmitted, and then no moce often than permitted by the server circuit ~lmer.
Wh~n a user finally determines that it no longer requi~es a service, the ses~ion ca~ be abolished by device ~erver transmitting a STOP session slot. If all of the sessions are aboli.shed for a virtual circuit, the device server 24 may then aboli~h the virtual circuit by the transmi~sion of a STOP virtual circuit message.
If additional service users 12 require services provided by a node 34, their session slots may be carried by the virtual circuit messages transmitted over virtual circuit S80 Thus, a single virtual circuit message tcansmitted over the virtual circuit 58 can contain mesnages between a number of user~ 12 and servire providers 14. By establi~hin~ a virtual cireuit between the device ~erver 24 and node 34, and multiplexing session slot~ onto a single ~irtual circuit message, the number of acknowledgement messages may be reduced to one response message for each virtual circuit message. This . .

3J~

reduction re~ults in, not only a reduced amount of mes~age traffic over the communications link since only tlle virtual circuit messages between node~ and device servers are acknowledged, and not the mesQages between particular service users and service providers. In the past, each me~sage between service users and service provider~ had been acknowledged by a separate acknowledge-ment message, which not only increa~ed mes~age traffic over the r communications link, but alsc requlred proces~ing activities ~y tlle service user and service provider that are not required in the network 10 constructed in accordance wi~h the inventlon.
The foregoing description ha~ been limited to a specific embodiment of the inven~ion. It will be apparent, however, that the invention can ba practiced in networks having diverse basic construction than is disclosed in this specification, with the attainment oE some or all of the advanta~es of the invention. TherëEore, it i8 the object of the appended claim~ to cover all such variations and modifications a~ come within the true ~plrit and ~cope of the invention.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A node for connection to a local area network including a device server unit which connects to a service user and a communications link to effect transfers of messages between the node and device server unit to enable said service user and node to communicate, said node including:
A. data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
B. message transmission means connected to said data storage means for transmitting messages including a data field for transmission of data from said data storage means and a response requested flag field having selected values, the value of said response requested flag field identifying whether the data field contains data or is empty;
C. message receiving means for receiving messages from the communications link;
D. transmission enabling means connected to said message transmission means and said message receiving means for enabling said message transmission means to transmit a message in response to the receipt by said message receiving means of a message and to the transmission by said message transmission means of a message whose data field was empty, said transmission enabling means disabling said message transmission means following a transmission of a message whose data field contains data until receipt of a message by said message receiving means.

2. A node as defined in claim 1 wherein each said message from a device server unit to said node further includes a message identification field, said message transmission means including a message counter means for providing a message identification value that identifies each message and means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said message identification value in said message identification field and for incrementing said message counter means.

3. A node as defined in claim 2 wherein each said message from said node to said device server unit further includes a message acknowledgement number field, said node including an acknowledgement means connected to said respective message receiving means and message transmission means for enabling said message transmission means to transmit, in the message acknowledgement number field, a value identifying the last received message.

4. A node as defined in claim 3 further including retry timer means for generating a retry timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval, said retry timing signal enabling said message transmission means to retransmit an unacknowledged message over said communications link.

5. A node as defined in claim 4 wherein the node and each device server unit in the network is identified by an address, each message including a receiving address field for identifying the node or device server unit which is the intended recipient of the message, said message transmission means further including means for transmitting the address field of a transmitted message the address of the respective node or device server unit, said message receiving means including address checking means for determining whether the address field of a message contains the respective address.

6. A node as defined in claim 5 that further communicates over a virtual circuit means multiplexed over said communications link, said virtual circuit means being defined by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each message received by said message receiving means and each said message transmitted by said message transmission means including a field for said local and remote identifiers, said node including means for storing said local and remote identifiers for its associated virtual circuits, said node's message transmission means including means connected to said identifier storage means for determining the virtual circuit means over which a message is to be transmitted and means for retrieving the contents of the virtual circuit identification storage means of the virtual circuit means for transmission in the virtual circuit identification field of the message, said node's message receiving means further including identification receiving means for receiving the contents of the virtual circuit identification field and determining the virtual circuit means associated with the message in response to the contents of the virtual circuit identification storage means.

7. A node for connection in a local area network also including a device server unit and a communications link for effecting transfers of messages between said device server unit and said node, each message including an address field containing an address of the intended recipient, a message data field for receiving message data, a message identification field containing a value identifying the message and a message acknowledgement field containing a value identifying an acknowledged message, each message from said node to said device server unit further including a response requested flag having selected conditions, to enable said service uses and service providers to communicate, said node comprising:
A. node message count means for generating a message identification value;
B. node message acknowledgement count means for generating a message acknowledgement value;
C. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
D. node retry timer means for generating a node retry signal at the end of a predetermined node retry timing interval;
E. node message receiving means for receiving messages from said communications link in response to the contents of said address field and for modifying the message identification value generated by said node message count means and the message acknowledgement value generated by said node message acknowledgement count means in response to the contents of said message acknowledgement field of each received message, said node message receiving means enabling said node retry timer means in response to a message not being acknowledged;
F. message transmission means for generating a message for transmission over said communications link including a message identification value from said node message count means and a message acknowledgement value from said message acknowledgement count means, and conditioning said response requested flag to a selected condition, in response to (a) the receipt of a message over said communications link from said device server unit, (b) said node data storage means containing data to be transmitted if the response requested flag of the previous message indicated the message data field to be empty, and (c) the generation of a node retry signal by said node retry timing means.

8. A local area network including a server and a node interconnected by a communications link, A. said node transmitting a node message including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having selected conditions depending on the presence of data in said data field;
B. said server including:
i. timing means for asserting a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
ii. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
iii. data waiting flag means having selected conditions;
iv. message transmission means for generating a server message for transmission over the communications link in response to the coincidence of said timing signal and the data waiting flag means having a predetermined one of said conditions, said message transmission means further resetting said timing means and enabling said timing means to begin its timing operation in response to the transmission of a message;

v. server massage receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and vi. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for establishing the condition of said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted and the condition of said response requested flag in a node message received by said server message receiving means.

9. A local area network as defined in claim 8 wherein said node includes:
A. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
B. node message transmission means connected to said node data storage means for transmitting said node messages;
C. node message receiving means for receiving messages from the communications link and for enabling, in response to the receipt of a message, said node message transmission means to transmit a node message over said communications link, the node message including data in said node data storage means; and D. transmission enabling means connected to said message transmission means and said data storage means and responsive to the value of the response requested flag of the previous node message indicating that the data field of the node message was empty to enable said node message transmission means to transmit a message including data in said data storage means when said data storage means contains data to be transmitted.

10. A local area network as defined in claim 9 wherein each said node message includes a node message number field, said node message transmission means including a node message counter means for providing a node message identification value that identifies each node message, said node message transmission means further including means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said node message identification value in said node message identification field and for incrementing said node message counter means.

11. A local area network as defined in claim 10 wherein each said node message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said node further including a server message acknowledgement means connected to said node message receiving means and said node message transmission means for enabling said node message transmission means to transmit, in a node message, a value identifying a server message received by said node message receiving means.

12. A local area network as defined in claim 11 wherein said server and said node is identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said node message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a node message the address of said server and said node message receiving means selectively receiving said server message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said node.

13. A local area network as defined in claim 12 wherein said server and said node communicate over a virtual circuit means defined over said communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said node including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said node message transmission means including:

_ 43 _ 68061-50G

i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit;
ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and the remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message;
C. said node message receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify the virtual circuit means of the received server message in response to the receipt thereof.

14. A local area network as defined in claim 13 wherein said server message transmission means includes a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in a server message identification field in said server message and for incrementing said message counter means.

15. A local area network as defined in claim 14 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

16. A local area network as defined in claim 15 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

17. A local area network as defined in claim 16 wherein said server and said node communicate over a virtual circuit means defined over aid communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said server including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said server message transmission means including:
i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit, ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual. circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and the remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message;
C. said server massage receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify a virtual circuit means for the received node message in response to the receipt thereof.

18. A server for connection to a communications link in a local area network including a node, said node transmitting a node message including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having selected conditions depending on the presence of data in said data field, said server including:
a. timing means for asserting a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
b. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
c. data waiting flag means having selected conditions;
d. server message transmission means for generating a server message for transmission over the communications link in response to the coincidence of said timing signal and the data waiting flag means having a predetermined one of said conditions, said server message transmission means further resetting said timing means and enabling said timing means to begin its timing operation in response to the transmission of a message;
e. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and f. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for establishing the condition of said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted and the condition of said response requested flag in a node message received by said server message receiving means.

19. A server as defined in claim 18 wherein said server further includes server message receiving means for receiving node messages over said communications link, each said server message including a server message identification field, said server message transmission means including a server message counter means for providing a server message identification valve that identifies each server message, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in said server message identification field and for incrementing said message counter means.

20. A server as defined in claim 19 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

21. A server as defined in claim 20 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

22. A server as defined in claim 21 wherein said server communicates over a virtual circuit means defined over said communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said server including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said server message transmission means including:
i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit, ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and the remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message;
C. said server message receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify a virtual circuit means for the received node message in response to the receipt thereof.

23. A local area network including a server and a node interconnected by a communications link, A. said node transmitting a node message including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having selected conditions depending on the presence of data in said data field;
B. said server including:
i. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;

ii. data waiting flag means having selected conditions;
iii. message transmission means for generating a server message for transmission over the communications link in response to the data waiting flag means having a predetermined one of said conditions;
iv. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and v. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for establishing the condition of said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted and the condition of said response requested flag in a node message received by said server message receiving means.

24. A local area network as defined in claim 23 wherein said node includes:
A. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
B. node message transmission means connected to said node data storage means for transmitting said node messages;
C. node message receiving means for receiving messages from the communication link and for enabling, in response to the receipt of a message, aid node message transmission means to transmit a node message over said communications link, the node message including data in said node data storage means: and D. transmission enabling means connected to said message transmission means and said data storage means and responsive to the value of the response requested flag of the previous node message indicating that the data field of the node message was empty to enable said node message transmission means to transmit a message including data in said data storage means when said data storage means contains data to be transmitted.

25. A local area network as defined in claim 24 wherein each said node message includes a node message number field, said node message transmission means including a node message counter means for providing a node message identification value that identifies each node message, said node message transmission means further including means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said node message identification value in said node message identification field and for incrementing said node message counter means.

26. A local area network as defined in claim 25 wherein each said node message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said node further including a server massage acknowledgement means connected to said node message receiving means and said node message transmission means for enabling said node message transmission means to transmit, in a node message, a value identifying a server message received by said node message receiving means.

27. A local area network as defined in claim 26 wherein said server and said node is identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said node message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a node message the address of said server and said node message receiving means selectively receiving said server message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said node.

28. A local area network as defined in claim 27 wherein said server and said node communicate over a virtual circuit means defined over said communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said node including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said node message transmission means including:
i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit:
ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and tha remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message;
C. said node message receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify the virtual circuit means of the received server message in response to the receipt thereof.

29. A local area network as defined in claim 23 wherein said server message transmission means includes a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server massage, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in a server message identification field in said server message and for incrementing said message counter means.

30. A local area network as defined in claim 29 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

31. A local area network as defined in claim 30 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

32. A local area network as defined in claim 31 wherein said server and said node communicate over a virtual circuit means defined over said communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said server including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said server message transmission means including:
i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit, ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and the remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message;

C. said server message receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify a virtual circuit means for the received node message in response to the receipt thereof.

33. A server for connection to a communications link in a local area network including a node, said node transmitting a node message including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having selected conditions depending on the presence of data in said data field, said server including:
a. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
b. data waiting flag means having selected conditions;
c. server message transmission means for generating a server message for transmission over the communications link in response to the data waiting flag means having a predetermined one of said conditions;
d. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and e. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for establishing the condition of said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted and the condition of said response requested flag in a node message received by said server message receiving means.

34. A server as defined in claim 33 wherein said server further includes server message receiving means for receiving nods messages over said communications link, each said server message including a server message identification field, said server message transmission means including a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in said server message identification field and for incrementing said message counter means.

35. A server as defined in claim 34 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

36. A server as defined in claim 35 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

37. A server as defined in claim 36 wherein said server communicates over a virtual circuit means defined over said communications link by a virtual circuit identifier comprising a local identifier and a remote identifier, each said server message and node message including a local identifier field and a remote identifier field, A. said server including virtual circuit identifier storage means for storing the local and remote identifier for said virtual circuit means, B. said server message transmission means including:
i. virtual circuit identification means connected to said virtual circuit identifier storage means for identifying a virtual circuit, ii. means responsive to the identification by said virtual circuit identification means for retrieving from said virtual circuit identifier storage means the local identifier and the remote identifier of the identified virtual circuit means for transmission in the respective local identifier field and remote identifier field of the node message:
C. said server message receiving means including identifier receiving means for receiving the local identifier and remote identifier from said local identifier field and said remote identifier field to identify a virtual circuit means for the received node message in response to the receipt thereof.

38. A local area network for interconnecting a service user and a service provider, including a device server unit which connects to a service user and a node which connects to a service provider and a communications link to effect transfers of messages between the node and device server unit, each message including an address field containing an address of the intended recipient, a message data field for receiving message data, a message identification field containing a value identifying the message and a message acknowledgement field containing a value identifying an acknowledged message, each message from said node to said device server unit further including a response requested flag having selected conditions, to enable said service uses and service providers to communicate, A. said node comprising:
i. node message count means for generating a message identification value;
ii. node message acknowledgement count means for generating a message acknowledgement value;
iii. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
iv. node retry timer means for generating a node retry signal at the end of a predetermined node retry timing interval:
v. node message receiving means for receiving messages from said communications link in response to the contents of said address field and for modifying the message identification value generated by said node message count means and the message acknowledgement value generated by said node message acknowledgement count means in response to the contents of said message acknowledgement field of each received message, said node message receiving means enabling said node retry timer means in response to a message not being acknowledged;

vi. message transmission means for generating a message for transmission over said communications link including a message identification value from said node message count means and a message acknowledgement value from said message acknowledgement count means, and conditioning said response requested flag to a selected condition, in response to (a) the receipt of a message over said communications link from said device server unit, (b) said node data storage means containing data to be transmitted if the response requested flag of the previous message indicated the message data field to be empty, and (c) the generation of a node retry signal by said node retry timing means;
B said device server unit including:
i. message interval timing means for generating a message interval timing signal at the end of a predetermined message timing interval:
ii. device server message count means for generating a message identification value;
iii. device server data storage means for accumulating data from said service user for transmission to said node;
iv. data waiting flag means connected to said data storage means and having a set condition when data is stored in said data storage means and a reset condition; and v. device server message acknowledgement count means for generating a message acknowledgement value;
vi. device server retry timer means for generating a device server retry signal at the end of a predetermined device server retry timing interval longer than said message timing interval;
vii. keep alive timer means for generating a keep alive timing signal at the end of a predetermined keep alive timing interval longer than said message timing interval;
viii. device server message receiving means for receiving messages from said communications link in response to the contents of said address field and for modifying the message identification value generated by said device server message count means and the message acknowledgement value generated by said device server message acknowledgement count means in response to the contents of said message acknowledgement field of each received message, said device server message receiving means enabling said device server retry timer means in response to a message not being acknowledged; and ix. message transmission means connected to said communications link and including:
a. data transfer means for transmitting a message containing data from said data storage means over said communications link in response to (I) the coincidence of said data waiting indicator having a set condition and said message interval timer generating the message interval timing indication, (II) the generation of a device server retry indication by said device server retry timer, or (III) the generation of a keep alive timing indication by said keep alive timer; and x. a device server message transmitter for transmitting messages generated by said device server message generator over the communications link, said message transmitter controlling timing of its transmission of messages after receipt from said message generator in response to conditions over said communications link.

39. A device server unit for connection in a local area network comprising a node and a communications link for effecting transfers of messages between said device server unit and said node, said device server unit comprising a communications link message control portion comprising:
A. a device server message interval timer for asserting a message interval timing indication at the end of a predetermined message timing interval;
B. a device server message counter for generating a message identification value identifying a message sent by the device server;
C. a device server data store for accumulating data from said server user for transmission over said communications link;
D. a device server data waiting indicator having a set condition when data is stored in said data store and a reset condition; and E. a device server message acknowledgement counter for generating a message acknowledgement value identifying a message which is being acknowledged;
F. a device server retry timer for generating a device server retry indication at the end of a predetermined device server retry timing interval longer than said message timing interval;
G. a device server keep alive timer for generating a keep alive timing indication at the end of a predetermined keep alive timing interval longer than said message timing interval;

H. a device server message receiver for (I) receiving messages from said communications link, (II) modifying the message acknowledgement value generated by said device server message acknowledgement counter in response to the contents of a message acknowledgement field in a message from said node, (III) disabling said device server retry timer in response to a device server message being acknowledged, and (IV) setting said device server data waiting indicator in response to a response requested in-dicator field in a message from said node having a predetermined value;
I. a device server message generator for generating a message with a message data field containing data from said data store, a message identification field containing said message identification value and a message acknowledgement field contain-ing said message acknowledgement value, in response to (I) the coincidence of said data waiting indicator having a set condition and said message interval timer generating the message interval timing indication, (II) the generation of a device server retry indication by said device server retry timer, and (III) the generation of a keep alive timing indication by said keep alive timer; and J. a device server message transmitter for transmitting messages generated by said device server message generator over the communications link.

40. A method of operating a device server unit to facilit-ate communications in a local area network, the local area network comprising a node connected to a service provider and a communi-cations link to effect transfers of messages between said node and said device server unit to facilitate communications between a service user and said service provider, said method comprising the steps of:
A. accumulating data from said service user in a data store in said device server for transmission to said service provider;
B. conditioning a data waiting indicator having a set condition and a clear condition to said set condition to indicate the presence of data accumulated in said data store;
C, asserting a timing indication at the end of a pre-determined timing interval;
D. providing a message-identification value that identi-fies each message;
E. generating a message comprising data from said data store in response to the coincidence of the data waiting indicator having a set condition and the assertion of the timing indication, said message including said message-identification value, and thereafter incrementing said message-identification value;
F. transmitting generated messages over the communication link; and G. setting said data waiting indicator in response to a response requested indicator of a message received from said node having a predetermined value.

41. A server for connection to a communications link in a local area network including a node, said server including:
a. timing means for performing a timing operation to assert a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
b. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
c. data waiting flag means having a set condition and a clear condition;
d. server message transmission means for generating server messages for transmission over the communications link, each said server message being generated only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag means is in said set condition;
e. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and f. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted; and, g. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means in response to receipt by said server message receiving means of a node message in which a response requested flag has a set condition.

42. A server as defined in claim 41 wherein said server further comprises:
each said server message including a server message identification field, said server message transmission means including a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in said message identi-fication field and for incrementing said message counter means.

43. A server as defined in claim 42 wherein each said server message further comprises:
an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

44. A server as defined in claim 43 further comprising:
wherein each server message further having a recipient address field for identifying the server as the intended recipient said server message transmission means further having means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server; and, said server message receiving means selectively re-ceiving said node message in response to a determination of whether a corresponding address field of said node message contains the address of said server.

45. A server for connection to a communications link in a local area network including a node, said server including:
a. timing means for performing a timing operation to assert a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
b. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
c. data waiting flag means having a set condition and a clear condition;
d. server message transmission means for generating server messages for transmission over the communications link, each said server message being generated only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag means is in said set condition;
e. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and f. data waiting flag condition establishment means, connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to he transmitted; and, g. data waiting flag condition establishment means, connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means in response to receipt by said server message receiving means of a node message in which a response requested flag has a set condition, whereby said data waiting flag is set either by receipt of data to be transmitted or by receipt of a node message having a response requested flag set.

46. A server as defined in claim 45 wherein said server further comprises:
each said server message including a server message identification field, said server message transmission means in-cluding a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message transmission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message identification value in said server message identification field and for incrementing said message counter means.

47. A server as defined in claim 46 wherein each said server message further comprises: an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

48. A server as defined in claim 47 wherein said server is identified by an address, each server message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and, said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether a corresponding address field of said node message con-tins the address of said server.

49. A method of generating messages from a server for transmission over a communications link in a local area network including a server and a node, comprising performing the following steps in the server;
a. asserting a timing signal at the end of a predeter-mined timing interval;
b. storing data for transmission to said node in a data store;
c. providing a data waiting flag having a set condition and a clear condition;
d. generating server messages for transmission over the communications link only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag is in said set condition;
e. receiving said node messages; and f. setting said data waiting flag in response to said data store containing data to be transmitted; and, g. setting said data waiting flag in response to receipt by said server of a node message in which a response requested flag has said set condition.

50. The method as defined in claim 49 further comprising:
wherein each said server message includes a server message identification field, providing a server message identi-fication value via a message counter that identifies each server message, transmitting said server message identification value in said server message identification field and incrementing said message counter.

51. The method as defined in claim 50 further comprising:
wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, transmitting, in the server message acknowledgement number field, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

52. The method as defined in claim 51 further comprising:
wherein said server is identified by an address, each server message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, trans-mitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server; and, selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether a corresponding address field of said node message contains the address of said server.

53. A device server for communicating between a user terminal and a node, said device server comprising:
timing means in said device server for indicating a passage of a predetermined time interval;
storage means in said device server for storing data transmitted to said device server by said user terminal;
node message receiving means for said device server to receive messages transmitted by said node, said node messages being of either a first type requiring an acknowledgement or being of a second type not requiring an acknowledgement;
transmission means, in response to said device server receiving said data from said user terminal OR in response to said device server receiving a node message of said first type requiring an acknowledgement from said node, for said device server to send a server message for receipt by said node after an expira-tion of said predetermined time interval, and said server message containing data stored in said storage means if there is any data stored to send and said server message acknowledging said node message and containing no data if there is no data to send, whereby said timing means regulates both said device server sending data from said user to said node and regulates said device server sending an acknowledgement message to said node in response to receipt of a message from said node.

54. The device server as in claim 53 wherein said trans-mission means for said device server to send a server message for receipt by said node after an expiration of said predetermined time interval, further comprises:
means, responsive to the passage of a predetermined time interval wherein neither data transmitted by said user ter-minal is received nor a node message of said type requiring a response is received by said device server, for sending said server message immediately upon receipt of data from said user terminal.

55. The device server as in claim 53 wherein said transmission means for said device server to send a server message for receipt by said node after an expiration of said predetermined time interval, further comprises:
means, responsive to the passage of a predetermined time interval wherein neither data transmitted by said user ter-minal is received nor a node message of said first type requiring a response is received by said device server, for sending said server message after expiration of a subsequent predetermined time interval after receipt of said data from said user terminal.

56. The device server as in claim 53 wherein said node message of a first type requiring an acknowledgement, further comprises:
means for indicating that a response is requested.

57. The device server as in claim 56 wherein said means for indicating that a response is requested further comprises a response requested and flag field means in said node message.

58. The device server as in claim 57 wherein said response requested flag field means further comprises a bit in a header of said node message, said bit having either a set condition or a clear condition, said set condition indicating that a previously sent node message requires an acknowledgement from said device server.

59. The device server as in claim 53 wherein said node message of a first type requiring an acknowledgement, further comprises: a node message containing data.

60. The device server as in claim 53 wherein said node message of a second type not requiring an acknowledgement, further comprises: a node message containing no data.

61. A node for transmitting outgoing messages to, and receiving incoming messages from, a local area network, said node comprising:
A. data storage means for storing data awaiting trans-mission to said network;
B. message transmission means connected to said data storage means for transmitting outgoing messages to said network, each outgoing message including a data field which may be empty or may contain data obtained from the data storage means, and each outgoing message further including a response requested flag field having a value indicating whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent message;
C. message receiving means for receiving incoming messages from the network, and for enabling, in response to the receipt of an incoming message from the network, said message transmission means to transmit one outgoing message to said network, wherein said one outgoing message includes any data awaiting transmission in said data storage means;
D. transmission enabling means, for setting said value of said response requested flag field to indicate whether or not said node requires a response to said last sent message, and to set said response requested flag field to a clear value when an outgoing message does not include data.

62. A method for transmitting outgoing messages from a node to, and receiving incoming messages to a node from, a local area network, comprising the steps of:
storing data awaiting transmission to said network in a data store, transmitting outgoing messages from said node to said network, each outgoing message including a data field which may be empty or may contain data obtained from the data store, and each outgoing message further including a response requested flag field having a value indicating whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent message, receiving incoming messages to said node from the network, enabling in response to the receipt of an incoming message from the network, the transmission of one outgoing message from said node to said network, wherein said one outgoing message includes any data awaiting transmission in the data store, and setting said value of said response requested flag field to indicate whether or not said node requires a response to said last sent message, and to set said response requested flag to a clear value when an outgoing message does not include data.

63. A node of the type having communications established on a link to a user through a server device, where the server device sends data upon the expiration of a timer, comprising:
means for receiving data sent by said user, said data being forwarded from said user to said node by said server device;

means, in response to said node requiring a response from said server device, for sending a response request message;
means for receiving an acknowledgement message from said server, both after said response request message is sent and upon the expiration of a time interval determined by said timer;
and, means, responsive to receiving said acknowledgement message, for sending another message by said node for receipt by said server device, and said timer regulates transmission of messages between said server and said node on said link.

64. A node for transmitting outgoing messages to, and receiving incoming messages from, a local area network, said node comprising:
A. data storage means for storing data awaiting transmis-sion to said network;
B. message transmission means connected to said data storage means for transmitting outgoing messages to said network, each outgoing message including a response requested flag field having a value indicating whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent message;
C. message receiving means for receiving incoming messages from the network, and for enabling, in response to the receipt of an incoming message from the network, said message transmission means to transmit at least one outgoing message to said network, wherein said at least one outgoing message includes any data awaiting transmission in said data storage means;

D. transmission means to set the value of the response requested flag field to indicate whether or not said node requires a response to said last sent message.

65. A method for transmitting outgoing messages from a node to, and receiving incoming messages to a node from, a local area network, comprising the steps of:
storing data awaiting transmissition to said network in a data store, transmitting outgoing messages from said node to said network, each outgoing message including a response requested flag field having a value indicating whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent message, receiving incoming messages to said node from the network, enabling in response to the receipt of an incoming message from the network, the transmission of at least one outgoing message from said node to said network, wherein said at least one outgoing message includes any data awaiting transmission in the data store, and setting the value of the response requested flag field of said at least one message transmitted from said node to indicate that said node requires a response from a last sent message.

66. A node as defined in claims 61, or 63 or 64 wherein each said outgoing message transmitted by the message transmission means to the network further includes a message identification field, said message transmission means including a message counter means for providing a message identification value that identifies each message, and means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said message identification value in said message identification field and for incrementing said message counter means.

67. A node as defined in claim 66 wherein each said out-going message further includes a message acknowledgement number field, said message transmission means transmitting, in the message acknowledgement number field, a value identifying the last incoming message received by said message receiving means.

68. A node as defined in claim 67 wherein each said out-going message and each said incoming message includes a destina-tion address field for identifying an intended recipient of the message, said message transmission means further includes means for transmitting an address in the destination address field of each outgoing message identifying an intended recipient of the outgoing message, and said message receiving means further includes means for determining whether the destination address field of an incoming message contains an address identifying said node.

69. The method of claim 62 or 65, wherein each said out-going message from the node to the network further includes a message identification field, the method further comprising:
providing a message identification value from a message counter that identifies each message, transmitting said message identification value in said message identification field of each message and incrementing said message counter.

70. The method as defined in claim 69, wherein each said outgoing message further includes a message acknowledgement number field, and transmitting in each of said messages from the node, in the message acknowledgement number field, a value identifying the last incoming message received by the node.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein each said outgoing message and each said incoming message includes a destination address field for identifying an intended recipient of the message, and transmitting an address in the destination address field of each outgoing message from the node, identifying an intended recipient of the outgoing message and determining whether the destination address field of an incoming message to the node contains an address identifying said node.

72. A local area network including a server and a node interconnected by a communications link, A. said node transmitting node messages each including a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag field having a set condition and a clear condition;

B. said server including:
i. timing means for performing a timing operation to assert a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing inter-val;
ii. data storage means for storing data for transmission to said node;
iii. data waiting flag means, having a set condition and a clear condition;
iv. message transmission means for generating server messages for transmission over the communications link, each said server message being generated only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag means is in said set condition, said message transmission means further resetting said timing means and enabling said timing means to begin said timing opera-tion in response to the transmission of each said server message;
v. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and vi. first data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means into said set condition, in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted;
vii. second data waiting flag condition establishment means for setting said data waiting flag means into said set condition, in response to receipt by said server message receiving means of a node message in which said response requested flag field has said set condition, and said timing means and said data waiting flag means together regulate transmission of messages onto said communications link both from said server and from said node.

73. A local area network as defined in claim 72 wherein said node comprises:
A. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
B. node message transmission means connected to said node data storage means for transmitting said node messages;
C. node message receiving means for receiving messages from the communications link and for enabling, in response to the receipt of a message, said node message transmission means to transmit a node message over said communications link, the node message including data in said node data storage means; and D. transmission enabling means connected to said node message transmission means and said node data storage means to set a condition of said response requested flag field to indicate whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent mes-sage.

74. A local area network as defined in claim 73 wherein each said node message includes a node message number field, said node message transmission means including a node message counter means for providing a node message identification value that identifies each node message, said node message transmission means further including means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said node message identification value in said node message identification field and for incrementing said node message counter means.

75. A local area network as defined in claim 74 wherein each said node message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said node further including a server message acknowledgement means connected to said node message receiving means and said node message transmission means for enabling said node message trans-mission means to transmit, in a node message, a value identifying a server message received by said node message receiving means.

76. A local area network as defined in claim 75 wherein said server and said node is identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said node message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a node message the address of said server and said node message receiving means selectively receiving said server message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said node.

77. A local area network as defined in calim 72 wherein said server message transmission means including a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message trans-mission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message iden-tification value in a server message identification field in said server message and for incrementing said message counter means.

78. A local network as defined in claim 77 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

79. A local area network as defined in calim 78 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further includ-ing means for transmitting in the address field of a server mes-sage the address of said server and said server message receiving means selectively receiving said node messages in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

80. A local area network of the type having a server and a node interconnected by a communications link, comprising:
A. said node transmitting node messages each having a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag having a set condition and a clear condition;

B. said server having:
i. timing means for performing a timing operation to assert a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
ii. data storage means for storing data for transmis-sion to said node;
iii. data waiting flag means having a set condition and a clear condition;
iv. message transmission means for generating server messages for transmission over the communications link, each said server message being generated only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag means is in said set condition;
v. server message receiving means for connection to said communications link for receiving node messages; and vi. data waiting flag condition establishment means connected to said data storage means for setting said data waiting flag means in response to said data storage means containing data to be transmitted;
vii. second data waiting flag condition establishment means for setting said data waiting flag means into said set con-dition, in response to receipt by said server message receiving means of a node message in which said response requested flag field has said set condition, and said timing means and said data waiting flag means together regulate transmission of messages onto said communication link both from said server and from said node.

81. A local area network as defined in claim 80 wherein said node includes:
A. node data storage means for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
B. node message transmission means connected to said node data storage means for transmitting said node messages;
C. node message receiving means for receiving messages from the communications link and for enabling, in response to the receipt of a message, said node message transmission means to transmit a node message over said communications link, the node message including data in said node data storage means; and D. transmission enabling means connected to said node message transmission means and said node data storage means to set a condition of said response request flag field to indicate whether or not said node requires a response to a last sent message.

82. A local area network as defined in claim 81 wherein each said node message includes a node message number field, said node message transmission means including a node message counter means for providing a node message identification value that identifies each node message, said node message transmission means further including means connected to said message counter means for transmitting said node message identification value in said node message identification field and for incrementing said node message counter means.

83. A local area network as defined in claim 82 wherein each said node message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said node further including a server message acknowledgement means connected to said node message receiving means and said node message transmission means for enabling said node message transmission means to transmit, in a node message, a value iden-tifying a server message received by said node message receiving means.

84. A local area network as defined in claim 83 wherein said server and said node is identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said node message transmission means further including means for transmitting in the address field of a node message the address of said server and said node message receiving means selectively receiving said server message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said node.

85. A local area network as defined in claim 80 wherein said server message transmission means including a server message counter means for providing a server message identification value that identifies each server message, said server message trans-mission means further including means connected to said server message counter means for transmitting said server message iden-tification value in a server message identification field in said server message and for incrementing said message counter means.

86. A local area network as defined in claim 85 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, said server further including a node message acknowledgement means for enabling said server message transmission means to transmit, in the server message, a value identifying the last node message received by said server message receiving means.

87. A local area network as defined in claim 86 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, said server message transmission means further in-cluding means for transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and said server message receiv-ing means selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

88. A local area network for interconnecting a service user and a service provider, comprising:
a device server unit which connects to a service user and a node which connects to a service provider and a communica-tions link to effect transfers of messages between the node and device server unit, each message comprising a message data field for containing message data, a message identification field con-taining a value identifying the message and a message acknowledge-ment field containing a value identifying an acknowledged message, each message from said node to said device server unit further comprising a response requested indicator field having a set condition and a clear condition;
A. said node comprising:
i. a node message counter for generating a message identification value;

ii. a node message acknowledgement counter for generat-ing a message acknowledgement value;
iii. node data store for storing data to be transmitted over said communications link;
iv. a node retry timer for generating a node retry indication at the end of a predetermined node retry timing interval;
v. a node message receiver for receiving messages from said communications link and modifying the message identifi-cation value generated by said node message counter and the message acknowledgement value generated by said node message acknowledgement counter in response to the contents of said mes-sage acknowledgement field of each received message, said node message receiver enabling said node retry timer in response to a message not being acknowledged; and vi. a node message transmitter for transmitting a message over said communications link comprising a message identi-fication value from said node message counter and a message acknowledgement value from said message acknowledgement counter, and conditioning said response requested indicator field to a selected condition, in response to the last sent message requiring a response;
B. said device server unit comprising a device server communications link message control portion comprising:
i. a message interval timer for asserting a message interval timing indication at the end of a predetermined message timing interval;

ii. a device server message counter for generating a message identification value;
iii. a device server data store for accumulating data from said service user for transmission over said communications link;
iv. a data waiting indicator having a set condition when data is stored in said data store and a reset condition;
v. a device server message acknowledgement counter for generating a message acknowledgement value, vi. a device server retry timer for generating a device server retry indication at the end of a predetermined device server retry timing interval longer than said message timing interval;
vii. a keep alive timer for generating a keep alive timing indication at the end of a predetermined keep alive timing interval longer than said message timing interval;
viii. a device server message receiver for (I) receiving messages from said communications link, (II) modifying the message identification value generated by said device server message counter and the message acknowledgement value generated by said device server message acknowledgement counter in response to the contents of said message acknowledgement field of each received message, (III) disabling said device server retry timer in response to a message being acknowledged, and (IV) setting said data wait-ing indicator in response to said response requested indicator field having a predetermined value;
ix. a device server message generator for generating a message containing data from said data store in response to any one of the following events: (I) the coincidence of said data waiting indicator having a set condition and said message interval timer generating the message interval timing indication, (II) the generation of a device server retry indication by said device server retry timer, and (III) the generation of a keep alive timing indication by said keep alive timer; and x. a device server message transmitter for transmit-ting messages generated by said device server message generator over the communications link, said message transmitter controlling timing of its transmission of messages after receipt from said message generator in response to conditions over said communica-tions link.

89. A method of operating a local area network including a server and a node interconnected by a communications link, comprising the steps of:
A. transmitting node messages from said node each includ-ing a data field for containing data to be transferred to said server and a response requested flag field having a set condition and a clear condition;
B. in said server performing the steps of:
i. conducting a timing operation with a timer to assert a timing signal at the end of a predetermined timing interval;
ii. storing data for transmission to said node in a data store;
iii. providing a data waiting flag having a set con-dition and a clear condition;

iv. generating server messages for transmission over the communications link, each said server message being generated only when said timing signal is asserted and the data waiting flag is in said set condition;
v. receiving node messages via said communications link; and vi. setting said data waiting flag in response to said data store containing data to be transmitted; and vii. setting said data waiting flag in response to receipt by said server via the link of a node message in which said response requested flag field has said set condition.

90. The method as defined in claim 89 wherein the follow-ing steps are performed in said node;
A. storing data to be transmitted over said communications link in a node data store;
B. generating node messages;
C. receiving server messages from the communications link, in response to the receipt of a server message, transmitting a node message over said communications, link, the node message including data in said node data store; and setting the response requested flag field into said set condition when the last sent node message requires a response.

91. The method as defined in claim 90 wherein each said node message includes a node message identification field, and further comprising the steps of providing a node message identi-fication value from a node message counter to identify each node message, transmitting said node message identification value in said node message identification field and incrementing said node message counter.

92. The method as defined in claim 91 wherein each said node message further includes an acknowledgement number field, and further comprising the step of transmitting, in a node mes-sage acknowledgement number field, a value identifying a server message received by said node.

93. The method as defined in claim 92 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, transmitting in the address field of a node message the address of said server and selectively receiving said server message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said node.

94. The method as defined in claim 90 wherein said server provides a server message identification value via a message counter that identifies each server message, and further compris-ing transmitting said server message identification value in a server message identification field in said server message and incrementing said message counter.

95. The method as defined in claim 94 wherein each said server message further includes an acknowledgement number field, transmitting, in the server message acknowledgement number field, a value identifying the last node message received by said server.

96. The method as defined in claim 95 wherein said server and said node are each identified by an address, each server message and each node message further including a recipient address field for identifying the server or node as the intended recipient, transmitting in the address field of a server message the address of said server and selectively receiving said node message in response to a determination of whether the address field of said server message contains the address of said server.

97. A local area network for establishing a communications session between a user and a node, said local area network of the type having a server for communicating said user's data to said node, comprising:
said node having:
means for said node to send a message to said server in response to receipt of a message from said server;
means, in response to said node requiring a response from said server, for sending a message to said server; and, said server having:
timing means for indicating a passage of a predeter-mined time interval;
means, in response to said apparatus receiving data from said user OR in response to said apparatus receiving a node message from said node, for sending a server message for receipt by said node after an expiration of said predetermined time interval, said server message containing any data received from said user if there is any, and containing no data if there is no data received from said user;
whereby said timing means regulates both said server sending data from said user to said node and regulates said node in sending messages for receipt by said server.

98. A local area network for establishing a communica-tions session between a user and a node, said local area network of the type having a server for communicating said user's data to said node, comprising:
said node having:
means for said node to send a message to said server in response to receipt of a message from said server;
means, in response to said node requiring a response from said server, for sending a message to said server having a response requested flag field set to indicate that a response is required by said node; and, said server having:
timing means for indicating a passage of a predeter-mined time interval;
means, in response to said apparatus receiving data from said user OR in response to said apparatus receiving a message from said node having a response requested flag field set to indicate that a response is required by said node, for sending a message for receipt by said node after an expiration of said predetermined time interval, said server message containing any data received from said user if there is any, and containing no data if there is not data received from said user, whereby said timing means regulates both said server sending data from said user to said node and regulates said node in sending messages for receipt by said server.

99. The apparatus as in claim 98 wherein said means for sending a server message for receipt by said node, further com-prises:
means for setting a data waiting flag upon receipt of said data from said user, to indicate that said server is enabled to send a message after expiration of said predetermined time interval.

100. The apparatus as in claim 99 wherein said means for sending a server message, further comprises:
means for setting said data waiting flag upon receipt of said response request message, to indicate that said server is enabled to send a message after expiration of said predeter-mined time interval.

101. The apparatus as in claim 100 further comprising:
means for said server to send a server message for receipt by said node acknowledging a node message received by said server before receipt of a node message requesting a response from said server.

102. The apparatus as in claim 100 further comprising:

means for setting a data waiting flag into a set condition upon receipt of said data from said user, to indicate that said server is enabled to send a message after expiration of said predetermined time interval.

means for setting said data waiting flag into a set condition upon receipt of said response request message, to indicate that said server is enabled to send a message after expiration of said predetermined time interval;
means, in response to said data waiting flag being in said set condition, for said server to send a message for receipt by said node after expiration of said predetermined time interval.

103. The apparatus as in claim 98 further comprising:
wherein said response request message is a field in a message preamble, and when a bit in said field has a first value said server is required to send an acknowledgement message before said node sends another message for receipt by said server, and when said bit has a second value no response from said server is required before said node can send another message for receipt by said server;
means in said node for setting said bit to said second value, and for sending more than one message for receipt by said server without receiving an acknowledgement message from said server;
means in said server, in response to receiving a mes-sage from said node wherein said bit has said second value, for receiving another message from said node without first said server transmitting an acknowledgement message for receipt by said node;

means in said server, in response to receiving a message from said node wherein said bit has said first value, for sending an acknowledgement message to said node upon the expira-tion of said predetermined time interval.