ROBUST AND EFFICIENT ASSIGNMENT OF SCHEDULED TRANSMISSIONS

• US 20080186857A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Becker, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US11/771,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 of downlink data flows
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium, involving (a) sending a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include (i) a request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space and (ii) a scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment, (b) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment, the assignment taking into account location of the request, (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request, and (d) wherein the assignment is made remotely at a second node in response to the request as received at the second node, and a corresponding assignment message is communicated to the first node.

Claims

1. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

(a) sending a request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;

(b) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;

(c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment; and

(d) wherein the assignment is made remotely at a second node in the plurality of nodes in response to the request as received at the second node, and a corresponding assignment message is communicated to the first node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the assignment message identifies both the request and the scheduled transmission segment.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first node maintains a local data transmission queue based on assignment messages received at the first node.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first node recognizes an entry in the data transmission queue as being associated with the request sent from the first node and sends the data transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the assignment message identifies the request but not the scheduled transmission segment.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first node maintains a local data transmission queue based on assignment messages received at the first node.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first node recognizes an entry in the data transmission queue as being associated with the request sent from the first node and sends the data transmission.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second node periodically broadcasts synchronization messages for synchronizing the local data transmission queue maintained at the first node to a data transmission queue maintained at the second node.

9. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes including a first node and a second node, the method comprising:

(a) at the second node, receiving a request from the first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;

(b) at the second node, making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message; and

(c) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the assignment message identifies both the request and the scheduled transmission segment.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the assignment message identifies the request but not the scheduled transmission segment.

12. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

(a) a first node capable of sending a request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;

(b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;

(c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment; and

(d) wherein the assignment is made remotely at a second node in the plurality of nodes in response to the request as received at the second node, and a corresponding assignment message is communicated to the first node.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the assignment message identifies both the request and the scheduled transmission segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first node maintains a local data transmission queue based on assignment messages received at the first node.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first node recognizes an entry in the data transmission queue as being associated with the request sent from the first node and sends the data transmission.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the assignment message identifies the request but not the scheduled transmission segment.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first node maintains a local data transmission queue based on assignment messages received at the first node.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first node recognizes an entry in the data transmission queue as being associated with the request sent from the first node and sends the data transmission.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second node periodically broadcasts synchronization messages for synchronizing the local data transmission queue maintained at the first node to a data transmission queue maintained at the second node.

20. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

(a) a second node capable of receiving a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the second node capable of receiving the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;

(b) wherein the second node is capable of making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message; and

(c) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the assignment message identifies both the request and the scheduled transmission segment.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the assignment message identifies the request but not the scheduled transmission segment.