Abstract

Local area networks are shared transmission systems that provide communication among computers and other data processing equipment within a limited geographical area. In addition to providing a means for information exchange between arbitrary pairs of terminals (taken here to include computers), the use of a shared system means that fewer transmission lines may be needed, transmission costs may be reduced through statistical multiplexing, and fewer transmitters and receivers may be required to support a given terminal population.

© 1984 Optical Society of America