Offset flow protocol

The author describes the characteristics of the offset flow protocol, along with examples of applications and evaluations of the protocol´s performance levels. The offset flow protocol is a deterministic MAC-level multiple-access protocol. It has been defined for a communications network, called on offset ring, in which stations are linked by a data channel and a signaling channel. The channels (Vd) and (Vs) are unidirectional and transmit their signals in opposite directions. The offset flow protocol guarantees stations simultaneous, equitable, and contention-free access to the transmission medium. It provides for the transfer of both synchronous and asynchronous data. In comparison with token-passing and register insertion protocols, and under identical traffic conditions, the offset flow protocol provides a higher yield from the transmission medium, a shorter mean frame transfer delay, and simpler error recovery mechanisms