CONTENTION AND POLLED REQUESTS FOR SCHEDULING TRANSMISSIONS
First Claim
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) wherein the request segment is randomly selected by the first node from the plurality of request segments;
(c) 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; and
(d) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, involving (a) sending 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 request sent in a request segment, (b) wherein the request segment is randomly selected by the first node, (c) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and (d) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.
118 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
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(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) wherein the request segment is randomly selected by the first node from the plurality of request segments; (c) 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; and (d) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
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(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) wherein the request segment is a request segment allotted to the first node according to a defined schedule; (c) 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; and (d) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. 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:
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(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) wherein the request segment is randomly selected by the first node from the plurality of request segments; (c) 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 (d) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.
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8. 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:
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(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) wherein the request segment is a request segment allotted to the first node according to a defined schedule; (c) 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 (d) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.
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9. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(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 randomly selecting the request segment from the plurality of request segments; (c) 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; and (d) 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. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(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 request segment is a request segment allotted to the first node according to a defined schedule; (c) 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; and (d) 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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(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 request segment is randomly selected by the first node from the plurality of request segments; (c) 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 (d) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request.
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16. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(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 request segment is a request segment allotted to the first node according to a defined schedule; (c) 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 (d) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request
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Specification