Method for controlling the scheduling of multiple access to communication resources
First Claim
1. A method of accessing a shared communication resource, comprising the steps of:
- in a communication unit;
A) maintaining a clock;
B) determining that an inhibit condition on the shared cummunication resource will occur, and then determining when the inhibit condition begins;
C) determining when the inhibit condition concludes;
D) determining when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired;
E) attempting to access the shared communication resource as a function of;
i) the beginning and concluding times of at least one of the detected inhibit conditions; and
ii) when access to the shared communication resource was desired.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing a communication unit (10) access to a shared communication resource. In the communication unit, a clock (123) is maintained, and the unit detects the time when an inhibit period on the shared communication resource begins, and the time at which it concludes. When access to the shared communication resource is desired, the unit attempts to access the communication resource based on the time at which access was desired, as well as the times at which a detected inhibit condition began and concluded. A virtual time clock runs only during non-inhibit periods. Access to the communication resource is then based on when the virtual time clock equals the desired access time.
107 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A method of accessing a shared communication resource, comprising the steps of:
in a communication unit; A) maintaining a clock; B) determining that an inhibit condition on the shared cummunication resource will occur, and then determining when the inhibit condition begins; C) determining when the inhibit condition concludes; D) determining when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired; E) attempting to access the shared communication resource as a function of; i) the beginning and concluding times of at least one of the detected inhibit conditions; and ii) when access to the shared communication resource was desired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
4. A method of transmitting a data packet on a shared communication resource, comprising the steps of:
in a communication unit; A) maintaining a clock; B) determining that an inhibit condition on the shared communication resource will occur, and then determining when the inhibit condition begins; C) detecting when the inhibit condition concludes; D) determining when transmission of a data packet on the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired; E) attempting to transmit a data packet on the shared communication resource as a function of; i) the beginning and concluding times of at least one of the detected inhibit conditions; and ii) when transmission on the shared communication resource was desired. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
-
7. A method of accessing a shared communication resource, comprising the steps of:
in a communication unit; A) maintaining a clock; B) determining that an inhibit condition on the shared cummunication resource will occur, and then determining when the inhibit condition begins; C) detecting when the inhibit condition concludes; D) determining when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired; E) when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired, determining whether a current inhibit conditiion exists; F) when a current inhibit condition exists, detecting when the current inhibit condition concludes, then G) attempting to access the shared communication resource as a function of; i) the beginning and concluding times of at least one of the detected inhibit conditions; and ii) when access to the shared communication resource was desired; H) when a current inhibit condition does not exist, determining whether a prior inhibit condition has been detected; I) when a prior inhibit condition has been detected, attempting to access the shared communication resource as a function of; i) the beginning and concluding times of at least one of the detected inhibit conditions; and ii) when access to the shared communication resource was desired; J) when a prior inhibit condition has not been detected, attempting to access the shared communication resource.
-
8. A method of accessing a shared communication resource, comprising the steps of:
in a communication unit; A) maintaining a real time clock and a virtual time clock; B) determining that an inhibit condition on the shared communication resource will begin, and when the inhibit condition begins, suspending the virtual time clock in response thereto; C) detecting when the inhibit condition concludes, and resuming operation of the virtual time clock in response thereto; D) determining a time when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit is desired; E) attempting to access the shared communication resource as a function of when the virtual time clock has a predetermined relationship with respect to the time when access to the shared communication resource by the communication unit was desired. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Specification