Media access control protocol with priority and contention-free intervals
First Claim
1. In a network of stations interconnected by a transmission medium, a method of carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) communication in which a plurality of peer stations desiring to transmit a frame may contend for access to the medium during a contention period, the method characterized byincluding a contention control field in at least some transmitted frames, the contention control field including contention control information indicating whether the peer stations have permission to contend during a following contention period;
- having a first peer station establish a contention-free access interval for transmission of a plurality of frames, wherein the contention-free access interval is established byhaving the first peer station contend for access during a contention period and successfully gain access to the medium,having the first peer station transmit the plurality of frames with contention control information that informs at least some other peer stations that they are not permitted to contend during contention periods within the contention-free access interval;
having at least a second peer station that receives the transmitted frames determine from the contention control information whether the second peer station is permitted to contend during a contention period within the contention-free access interval,wherein the first and second peer stations when they contend for access do so using a carrier sense multiple access protocol comprising listening for transmission by other stations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An access contention scheme is described for use by a station in a network of stations. Access contention by a station having a frame to be transmitted includes detecting contention control information for a contention period and determining from the contention control information if the station is permitted to contend for access to a transmission medium to which the stations are connected during the contention period. When a contention control indicator is detected for a contention period, a station having a frame to transmit determines from the contention control indicator if it is permitted to contend for access to the transmission medium during the contention period.
204 Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a network of stations interconnected by a transmission medium, a method of carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) communication in which a plurality of peer stations desiring to transmit a frame may contend for access to the medium during a contention period, the method characterized by
including a contention control field in at least some transmitted frames, the contention control field including contention control information indicating whether the peer stations have permission to contend during a following contention period; -
having a first peer station establish a contention-free access interval for transmission of a plurality of frames, wherein the contention-free access interval is established by having the first peer station contend for access during a contention period and successfully gain access to the medium, having the first peer station transmit the plurality of frames with contention control information that informs at least some other peer stations that they are not permitted to contend during contention periods within the contention-free access interval; having at least a second peer station that receives the transmitted frames determine from the contention control information whether the second peer station is permitted to contend during a contention period within the contention-free access interval, wherein the first and second peer stations when they contend for access do so using a carrier sense multiple access protocol comprising listening for transmission by other stations. - 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)
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Specification