Integrated voice and data network

A bus-structured local area communications network unidirectional bus system, over which packets are broadcast. Stations are connected to the communications channel by means of three passive taps. The multiple-access protocol is an extension of the register-insertion scheme used for loop networks; it is extremely efficient and guarantees that the packet access delay is less than a known maximum. Message-based priority functions can be introduced with a minimum overhead. The channel-access protocol allows an efficient integration of real-time traffic, such as packetized voice, with bursty data traffic. Simulation results quantitatively demonstrate the protocol performance.