A type of
CAM. Token passing uses a
token, or series of
bits, to grant a device permission to transmit over the
network. Whichever device has the token can put data into the network. When its transmission is complete, the device passes the token along to the next device in the
topology. System rules in the protocol specifications mandate how long a device may keep the token, how long it can transmit for and how to generate a new token if there isn't one circulating. Also see
contention and
polling.
