Method of communicating first and second data types
First Claim
1. A method of communicating via communication frequencies first and second data types among plural stations of a network comprisingcommunicating data of the first and second data types between the stations in a series of sequential frames on communication frequencies, each of the frames including sequential periods, each of the frames having a communication frequency, changing the communication frequency from a first frame in the series to the next frame in the series;
- communicating the data of the first data type during one of the periods of each frame;
communicating the data of the second data type during another of the periods of each frame;
repeating the communication of the data of the second data type during an initial period of the next frame if the data of the second data type are not successfully communicated during the another period of the first frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a medium access control (MAC) protocol for a wireless communications network, communications between a control point and other nodes are coordinated by a repeated superframe. This superframe contains in sequence a contention-free period (CFP1), a contention-based period, and second contention-free period (CFP2). Prior to CFP1 a node hops from one channel frequency to another. CFP2 in a superframe is used for initial transmission of isochronous data (such as voice signals); CFP1 of the following superframe is used for retransmission of any such data which were not correctly received at the first attempt, after the frequency hop at the start of that following superframe. This arrangement minimises delay before retransmission of data, and improves the robustness of the system.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of communicating via communication frequencies first and second data types among plural stations of a network comprising
communicating data of the first and second data types between the stations in a series of sequential frames on communication frequencies, each of the frames including sequential periods, each of the frames having a communication frequency, changing the communication frequency from a first frame in the series to the next frame in the series; -
communicating the data of the first data type during one of the periods of each frame;
communicating the data of the second data type during another of the periods of each frame;
repeating the communication of the data of the second data type during an initial period of the next frame if the data of the second data type are not successfully communicated during the another period of the first frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of transmitting via communication frequencies isochronous and asynchronous data among a plurality of stations in a network comprising:
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transmitting the data in a series of frames, each of the frames having a communication frequency, changing the communication frequency for data transmission from one frame in the series to the next frame in the series;
during transmission or retransmission of isochronous data, forming at least some of the frames so they include at least a first period, a second period and a third period, the second period occurring after the first period and before the third period;
transmitting the asynchronous data in said second period;
transmitting the isochronous data in said third period; and
retransmitting the isochronous data in the first period of the next frame in the series if the isochronous data are not successfully transmitted in the third period of said one frame. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of transmitting data among a plurality of stations in a network comprising:
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transmitting data in a series of frames, each of the frames having a communication frequency, changing the communication frequency for data transmission from one frame in the series to the next frame in the series;
during transmission or retransmission of isochronous data, forming at least some of the frames so they include at least a first period, a second period and a third period, the second period occurring after the first period and before the third period;
transmitting asynchronous data in said second period according to a contention access mechanism;
transmitting the isochronous data in said third period according to a contention free access mechanism; and
retransmitting, according to a contention free access mechanism, the isochronous data in the first period of said next frame in the series if the isochronous data are not successfully transmitted in the third period of said one frame.
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16. Apparatus for transmitting via communication frequencies first and second data types to at least one other station of a network comprising
a transmitter, a processor adapted to be responsive to data of the first and second data types for driving the transmitter, the processor being arranged for causing the transmitter to (a) transmit data of the first and second data types to the at least one other station in a series of sequential frames on communication frequencies, each of the frames including sequential periods, each of the frames having a communication frequency, (b) change the communication frequency from a first frame in the series to the next frame in the series, (c) transmit the data of the first data type during one of the periods of each frame, (d) transmit the data of the second data type during another of the periods of each frame, and (e) repeat the communication of the data of the second data type during an initial period of the next frame if the data of the second data type are not successfully communicated during the another period of the first frame.
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17. Apparatus for transmitting via communication frequencies isochronous and asynchronous data to at least one other station in a network comprising:
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a transmitter, a processor adapted to be responsive to data of the first and second data types for driving the transmitter, the processor being arranged for causing the transmitter to (a) transmit the data in a series of frames, each of the frames having a communication frequency, (b) change the communication frequency for data transmission from one frame in the series to the next frame in the series, (c) during transmission or retransmission of isochronous data, form at least some of the frames so they include at least a first period, a second period and a third period, the second period occurring after the first period and before the third period, (d) transmit the asynchronous data in said second period, (e) transmit the isochronous data in said third period, and (f) retransmit the isochronous data in the first period of the next frame in the series if the isochronous data are not successfully transmitted in the third period of said one frame.
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18. Apparatus for transmitting data to at least one other station in a network comprising:
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a transmitter, a processor adapted to be responsive to data of the first and second data types for driving the transmitter, the processor being arranged for causing the transmitter to (a) transmit data in a series of frames, each of the frames having a communication frequency, (b) change the communication frequency for data transmission from one frame in the series to the next frame in the series, (c) during transmission or retransmission of isochronous data, form at least some of the frames so they include at least a first period, a second period and a third period, the second period occurring after the first period and before the third period, (d) transmit asynchronous data in said second period according to a contention access mechanism, (e) transmit the isochronous data in said third period according to a contention free access mechanism, and (f) retransmit, according to a contention free access mechanism, the isochronous data in the first period of said next frame in the series if the isochronous data are not successfully transmitted in the third period of said one frame.
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Specification