Contention-free access intervals on a CSMA network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprisingusing a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations;
- having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmissions broadcast information descriptive of a regularly repeated contention-free interval and an allocation of time within the contention-free interval for the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations;
having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free interval; and
having a second station that desires to establish a second session of regularly repeated contention-free transmissions add the second session to the contention-free interval by broadcasting information descriptive of the second session taking into account the information descriptive of the first session, wherein the second station can be any of the plurality of stations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating in a network in which stations communicate over a shared medium is described. The method provides regularly repeated contention free intervals, CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals, and distributed control over the initiation and makeup of the contention free intervals to a plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate transmission within the contention free interval.
244 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising
using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations; -
having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmissions broadcast information descriptive of a regularly repeated contention-free interval and an allocation of time within the contention-free interval for the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations; having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free interval; and having a second station that desires to establish a second session of regularly repeated contention-free transmissions add the second session to the contention-free interval by broadcasting information descriptive of the second session taking into account the information descriptive of the first session, wherein the second station can be any of the plurality of stations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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18. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising
providing regularly repeated contention free intervals; -
providing CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals; and distributing control over the initiation and makeup of transmissions within the contention free intervals to the plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can establish a session of regularly repeated contention free transmissions within the intervals by broadcasting information descriptive of the session taking into account any previously broadcast information descriptive of any previous session established by a different station, and so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate a transmission within the contention free intervals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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51. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations; having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmission intervals broadcast information descriptive of the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations; and having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free intervals of the first session, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein each of the stations sending a transmission during the contention free interval begins transmitting in response to recognizing that the transmission immediately prior to it has concluded and wherein a transmission that is concluding includes a hand-off indication near the end of its transmission, and the transmission that follows is initiated based on receipt of the hand-off indication and the identity of the transmission that is concluding.
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52. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations; having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmission intervals broadcast information descriptive of the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations; and having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free intervals of the first session, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein each station independently keeps track of the usage of the contention free interval to determine whether there is sufficient time available in the interval to support a further transmission that the station has been asked to initiate. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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53. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations; having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmission intervals broadcast information descriptive of the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations; and having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free intervals of the first session, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein the information characterizing a transmission includes information characterizing the temporal location of the transmission within the contention free interval.
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54. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) service for ordinary communication between the plurality of stations; having a first station that desires to establish a first session of regularly repeated contention-free transmission intervals broadcast information descriptive of the first session to the other stations, wherein the first station can be any of the plurality of stations; and having the other stations that receive the broadcast from the first station defer from transmitting during the contention-free intervals of the first session, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein short time intervals are provided between successive transmissions within the contention free interval, so that a station desiring to initiate a new transmission may begin the transmission during one of the short time intervals, and other stations will learn that the new transmission has been inserted at that location in the contention free interval.
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55. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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providing regularly repeated contention free intervals; providing CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals; and distributing control over the initiation and makeup of the contention free intervals to the plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate a transmission within the contention free interval, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein each of the stations sending a transmission during the contention free interval begins transmitting in response to recognizing that the transmission immediately prior to it has concluded and wherein a transmission that is concluding includes a handoff indication near the end of its transmission, and the transmission that follows is initiated based on receipt of the hand-off indication and the identity of the transmission that is concluding.
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56. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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providing regularly repeated contention free intervals; providing CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals; and distributing control over the initiation and makeup of the contention free intervals to the plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate a transmission within the contention free interval, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein each station independently keeps track of the usage of the contention free interval to determine whether there is sufficient time available in the interval to support a further transmission that the station has been asked to initiate.
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59. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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providing regularly repeated contention free intervals; providing CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals; and distributing control over the initiation and makeup of the contention free intervals to the plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate a transmission within the contention free interval, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein the information characterizing a transmission includes information characterizing the temporal location of the transmission within the contention free interval.
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60. A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising:
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providing regularly repeated contention free intervals; providing CSMA communication during times outside the contention free intervals; and distributing control over the initiation and makeup of the contention free intervals to the plurality of stations so that any of the plurality of stations can independently initiate a transmission within the contention free interval, wherein the contention free interval supports a plurality of transmissions, each using a different time segment within the contention free interval, so that a plurality of data streams can be transmitted using the contention free interval, with each data stream generally assigned to one of the different time segments and wherein short time intervals are provided between successive transmissions within the contention free interval, so that a station desiring to initiate a new transmission may begin the transmission during one of the short time intervals, and other stations will learn that the new transmission has been inserted at that location in the contention free interval.
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Specification