TI A Local Area Network Architecture for Communication in 
Distributed Real-Time Systems 

LT COINS TR 91-4  

AU K. Arvind 

AU K. Ramamritham 

AU J.A. Stankovic 

YR 1991 

MN January 

OR UMASS 

AB Distributed real-time systems of the future will require
specialized  network architectures that incorporate new classes
of services and  protocols in order to support time-constrained
communication.  In this  paper, we propose a new local area
network architecture for such  systems.  This four layered
architecture is characterized by new  classes of
connection-oriented and connectionless services that take  into
account the teaming constraints of messages.  We describe various 
aspects of the logical link control layer of the architecture and 
various real-time protocols that may be employed at the medium
access  control layer in order to support the new classes of
services.  We  also describe a homogeneous approach to the
implementation of medium  access control protocols to support
both connection-oriented and  connectionless services, based on a
uniform window splitting paradigm.