TWO-PIN DISTRIBUTED ETHERNET BUS STRUCTURE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a two-pin bus structure which has a distributed decision mechanism through which many network elements share the same bus. SOLUTION: The two-pin bus interface 20 of each network module that is connected to a bus 14 forms a distributed decision procedure when two or more modules compete over bus access and also forms an encoding mechanism which sends a data signal and collision notification from a module to a module through a two-line bus. The structure handles with many distributed repeater modules 12 which are connected to the same bus and other network elements. The bus interfaces process decision processes and also detect and process various collisions which include receiving collisions which are detected in a data signal and a single local module port and transmitting collisions associated with activities in many local ports 10 of one or more modules.