Circuits, architectures, systems, methods, algorithms and software for reducing contention and/or handling channel access in a network
First Claim
1. A circuit for transmitting information over a network, the circuit comprising:
- a) a transmitter configured to transmit said information over a channel in said network, and retain access to said channel until either said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged by a receiving station, or for at least a first predetermined period of time following transmission of said information, whichever is shorter;
b) a detector configured to determine a type for said information;
c) transmitter instruction logic receiving a timeout signal and comprising acknowledgement detection logic that determines whether said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged within said first predetermined period of time, and, when said information transmitted over said channel is not acknowledged by said receiving station within said first predetermined period of time following transmission of said information, said transmitter instruction logic instructs said transmitter to;
i) retransmit said information when said information has a first type, orii) wait for a second predetermined period of time before attempting to retransmit said information when said information has a second type; and
d) at least one timer that generates said timeout signal when said first predetermined period of time expires, said timeout signal comprising one of (i) a first timeout signal corresponding to a first value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is in use, and (ii) a second timeout signal corresponding to a second value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is not in use, said first and second predetermined periods of time being different from each other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, circuits and architectures for managing channel access and/or reducing contention in network transmissions where such transmissions may not be acknowledged within a certain time period, computer programs adapted to implement such methods, and systems and networks including such circuits/architectures. When the information is not so acknowledged, the methods generally include (1) waiting for a predetermined time period before attempting to retransmit the information, and/or (2) retransmitting the information. The action taken may depend on the priority of the information. The circuit and/or architecture generally includes (a) a transmitter, (b) a priority detector, and when the information is not acknowledged within a certain time period, (c) logic for (i) retransmitting the information having a first priority and (ii) waiting before attempting to retransmit information having a second priority. The present invention has particular advantage in wireless networks and advantageously improves network transmission efficiency, reliability and/or performance.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A circuit for transmitting information over a network, the circuit comprising:
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a) a transmitter configured to transmit said information over a channel in said network, and retain access to said channel until either said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged by a receiving station, or for at least a first predetermined period of time following transmission of said information, whichever is shorter; b) a detector configured to determine a type for said information; c) transmitter instruction logic receiving a timeout signal and comprising acknowledgement detection logic that determines whether said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged within said first predetermined period of time, and, when said information transmitted over said channel is not acknowledged by said receiving station within said first predetermined period of time following transmission of said information, said transmitter instruction logic instructs said transmitter to; i) retransmit said information when said information has a first type, or ii) wait for a second predetermined period of time before attempting to retransmit said information when said information has a second type; and d) at least one timer that generates said timeout signal when said first predetermined period of time expires, said timeout signal comprising one of (i) a first timeout signal corresponding to a first value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is in use, and (ii) a second timeout signal corresponding to a second value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is not in use, said first and second predetermined periods of time being different from each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A circuit for reducing contention in transmissions of information, comprising:
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a) means for transmitting said information over a channel in said network, and for retaining access to said channel until either said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged by a means for receiving said information, or for at least a first predetermined period of time following transmission of said information, whichever is shorter; b) means for detecting or determining a type for said information; and c) when said information is not acknowledged within said first predetermined period of time, means for (i) retransmitting said information when said information has a first type and (ii) waiting for a second predetermined period of time before attempting to retransmit said information when said information has a second type, wherein said means for retransmitting and waiting receives a timeout signal and comprises acknowledgement detection logic that determines whether said information transmitted over said channel is acknowledged within said first predetermined period of time; and d) at least one timer that generates said timeout signal when said first predetermined period of time expires, said timeout signal comprising one of (i) a first timeout signal corresponding to a first value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is in use, and (ii) a second timeout signal corresponding to a second value for said first predetermined period of time when said channel is not in use, said first and second predetermined periods of time being different from each other. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification