Successive scheduled requests for transmission
First Claim
1. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
- (a) transmitting an initial request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the initial request sent in an initial request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
(b) obtaining a follow-up request assignment specifying at least one follow-up request segment, the follow-up request assignment taking into account location of the initial request within the request signal space;
(c) from the first node, transmitting a follow-up request in the at least one follow-up request segment;
(d) obtaining a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the scheduled transmission assignment taking into account location of the follow-up request within the request signal space; and
(e) from the first node, transmitting a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are presented for conducting communications over a shared communication medium, involving (a) sending an initial request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include (i) a request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space and (ii) a scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the initial request sent in an initial request segment, (b) obtaining a request assignment associating the initial request with at least one follow-up request segment, (c) from the first node, sending a follow-up request in the at least one follow-up request segment, (d) obtaining a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment, and (e) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment.
83 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
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(a) transmitting an initial request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the initial request sent in an initial request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments; (b) obtaining a follow-up request assignment specifying at least one follow-up request segment, the follow-up request assignment taking into account location of the initial request within the request signal space; (c) from the first node, transmitting a follow-up request in the at least one follow-up request segment; (d) obtaining a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the scheduled transmission assignment taking into account location of the follow-up request within the request signal space; and (e) from the first node, transmitting a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes including a first node and a second node, the method comprising:
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(a) at the second node, receiving an initial request from the first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the initial request sent in an initial request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments; (b) at the second node, making a follow-up request assignment specifying at least one follow-up request segment, the follow-up request assignment taking into account location of the initial request within the request signal space, and transmitting a corresponding follow-up request assignment message; (c) at the second node, receiving a follow-up request from the first node in the at least one follow-up request segment; (d) at the second node, making a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the scheduled transmission assignment taking into account location of the follow-up request within the request signal space, and transmitting a corresponding scheduled transmission assignment message; (e) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment.
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12. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(a) a first node capable of sending an initial request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the initial request in an initial request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments; (b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining a follow-up request assignment specifying at least one follow-up request segment, the follow-up request assignment taking into account location of the initial request within the request signal space; (c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a follow-up request in the at least one follow-up request segment; (d) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining a schedule transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the scheduled transmission assignment taking into account location of the follow-up request within the request signal space; and (e) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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(a) a second node capable of receiving an initial request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the second node capable of receiving the initial request in an initial request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments; (b) wherein the second node is capable of making a follow-up request assignment specifying at least one follow-up request segment, the follow-up request assignment taking into account location of the initial request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding follow-up request assignment message; (c) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a follow-up request from the first node in the at least one follow-up request segment; (d) wherein the second node is capable of making a scheduled transmission assignment specifying a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission assignments, the scheduled transmission assignment taking into account location of the follow-up request within the request signal space; and (e) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment.
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Specification