Medium access control (MAC) protocol for wireless ATM
First Claim
1. A method for communicating data packets within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein an active node is one of said nodes having one or more packets to transmit, said method comprising the steps of:
- communicating a request for an allocation of time within a frame period from each active node, allocating a first time of transmission and a first duration of transmission for transmitting messages to said active nodes;
allocating a second time of transmission and a second duration of transmission within said frame period from each of said active nodes, in dependence upon said request for allocation, communicating said allocation of second time and second duration to each of said active nodes within said frame period, and transmitting packets from each of said active nodes in accordance with said allocation of second time and second duration within said frame period, wherein said allocating step includes;
determining a delay tolerance level associated with each of said packets, and allocating said second time of transmission and said second duration of transmission to each of said active nodes, in dependence upon said request for allocation, and in dependence upon said tolerance levels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A protocol, method, and apparatus for managing network communications which are particularly well suited for ATM communications across a wireless medium. Contiguous time slots within a frame are allocated to each node having traffic to send. Each node is assured a nominal bandwidth, and excess bandwidth is distributed by demand. The allocation of excess bandwidth can be dependent upon the size of the buffer at each node, as well as the time-criticality of each message. Nodes communicate their requests for allocation by appending such control information to the first of their transmitted packets. The allocation, of each node'"'"'s transmit and receive time slots, is transmitted to all the nodes at the beginning of each frame. Thereafter, each node need not participate on the network until their allocated time periods, thereby allowing portable devices to enter inactive states to conserve power. The network is operated in a connection mode; connections are established in a relatively non-interfering manner by the use of periodically occurring beacons. Inactive, unconnected, nodes need only monitor the network during these beacon periods, further allowing for power conservation.
295 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for communicating data packets within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein an active node is one of said nodes having one or more packets to transmit, said method comprising the steps of:
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communicating a request for an allocation of time within a frame period from each active node, allocating a first time of transmission and a first duration of transmission for transmitting messages to said active nodes;
allocating a second time of transmission and a second duration of transmission within said frame period from each of said active nodes, in dependence upon said request for allocation, communicating said allocation of second time and second duration to each of said active nodes within said frame period, and transmitting packets from each of said active nodes in accordance with said allocation of second time and second duration within said frame period, wherein said allocating step includes;
determining a delay tolerance level associated with each of said packets, and allocating said second time of transmission and said second duration of transmission to each of said active nodes, in dependence upon said request for allocation, and in dependence upon said tolerance levels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
said communicating of the request for allocation from each node comprises the steps of;
appending said request to the first packet transmitted during the time allocated to the node in the current frame period, or, if time was not allocated to the node in the current frame period, communicating an alert message after the last time allocated among all the nodes in the current frame period.
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8. A method for communicating data packets within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein an active node is one of said nodes having one or more packets to transmit, said method comprising the steps of:
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communicating a request for an allocation of time within a frame period from each active node, allocating a first time of transmission and a first duration of transmission for transmitting messages to said active nodes;
allocating a second time of transmission and a second duration of transmission within said frame period from each of said active nodes, in dependence upon said request for allocation;
communicating said allocation of second time and second duration to each of said active nodes within said frame period, transmitting packets from each of said active nodes in accordance with said allocation of second time and second duration within said frame period;
wherein associated with each packet is a delay tolerance level, and, said request for allocation from each active node comprises a count of the number of packets to be transmitted at each delay tolerance level.
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9. A communications device for communicating messages within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, said device comprising:
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means for associating a delay tolerance level with each of said messages, means for transmitting a request for an allocation of time for transmitting messages, means for receiving an allocated first time and first duration for receiving messages from other nodes, means for receiving an allocated second time and second duration for transmitting messages to other nodes, means for receiving messages at said first time for said first duration, means for transmitting messages at said second time for said second duration in accordance with said delay tolerance levels. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A communications device for communicating messages within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, said device comprising:
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means for associating a delay tolerance level with each of said messages, means for receiving a request for an allocation of time for transmitting messages to the device from one or more nodes, means for allocating a first set of times and durations for transmitting messages from the device, wherein a time and duration of transmission is associated with each of the nodes for which the device has one or more messages to send, means for allocating a second set of times and durations for receiving messages at the device, wherein a time and duration of reception is associated with each of the nodes which request said allocation of time for transmitting messages to said device, means for transmitting messages at each of said times for said durations in said first, and means for receiving messages at each of said times for said duration in said second set, wherein said allocation of said first and second sets of times and durations is dependent on said delay tolerance levels. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
said allocation of said second set of times and durations is dependent upon said capacity of said buffers at each of said nodes. -
13. A device as in claim 11,
wherein each of said nodes have a node buffer having a capacity, and wherein the device further comprises a local buffer having a capacity, and said allocation of said first and second sets of times and durations is dependent upon the capacity of said node buffers and the capacity of said local buffer. -
14. A device as in claim 11,
wherein a minimal allocation for a particular communication is associated with each of said nodes, and said allocation of said second set of times and durations is dependent upon said minimal allocations. -
15. A device as in claim 11,
wherein a minimal node allocation for a particular communication is associated with each of said nodes, and a minimal local allocation for a particular communication is associated with the device, and said allocation of said first and second sets of times and durations is dependent upon said minimal node allocations and said minimal local allocation. -
16. A device as in claim 11, wherein:
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a minimal node allocation for a particular communication is associated with each of said nodes, a minimal local allocation for a particular communication is associated with the device, and said allocation of said first and second sets of times and durations is dependent upon said minimal node allocations, said minimal local allocation, and said delay tolerance levels.
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Specification