VERFAHREN ZUR GEWAEHRLEISTUNG DER END-ZU-END-DATENINTEGRITAET IN EINEM LOKALEN MULTIRINGNETZ

A method for protecting the integrity of data in a multi-loop communication network is disclosed. A source station generates and forwards a frame with a unique format and a frame check sequence (FCS). At each bridge, an algorithm is provided to process the frame. If the frame is at a source bridge and not discarded, the FCS is preserved by encapsulating it in the Information field. The source bridge generates a new FCS, appends it to the frame and forwards the frame. Thereafter, each intermediate bridge generates its own FCS, appends it to the frame and forwards the frame. At the target bridge, no FCS is generated. The preserved FCS is forwarded as the FCS of the frame.