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Method and apparatus for managing communication resources using frame fitting

  • US 6,711,177 B1
  • Filed: 06/28/1999
  • Issued: 03/23/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for automatically managing communication channel resources between nodes having neighboring nodes in a network of nodes, each node being configured to communicate during specific time slots on a time multiplex basis, the method comprising:

  • communicating between nodes in the network using a time division multiple access structure, the time division multiple access structure including time divisions having time frames, each time frame having at least one time slot;

    storing, at each node, an assignment of possible time slots to communicate between nodes in the network;

    designating the at least one time slot in a first time frame as a first variable length slot;

    assigning the first variable length slot to a particular node in the network;

    updating, at the neighboring nodes of the particular node, the assignment of possible time slots to include the assignment of the first variable length slot;

    determining a need to increase the number of slots within the first time frame;

    shortening the length of the first variable length slot to allocate a first fixed length slot at the end of the first variable length slot; and

    updating, at the neighboring nodes of the particular node, the assignment of possible time slots to include the assignment of the first fixed length time slot.

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