US Patent 7623543 Token-controlled data transmissions in communication networks

A network includes multiple nodes interconnected to form a ring topology. These nodes support data transmissions over the network using tokens. To send and receive data over the network, nodes may process control messages. A node can receive a token authorizing transmission on one of multiple data channels, generate a transmission control message identifying a destination node and the authorized data channel, and communicate the transmission control message for receipt by the destination node. The node can also transmit data on the authorized data channel after communicating the transmission control message and communicate the token to a next node.