Distributed scheduling
First Claim
1. In a network in which some data are transmitted between stations during time slots in contention free periods, a method for selecting the time slots, the method comprising:
- collecting timing information at at least one of the stations in the network, the timing information indicating the times of existing time slots used by stations for inter-beacon transmissions that can be reliably received by the at least one station collecting the timing information; and
distributing the timing information to other stations in the network including a first station;
wherein a new time slot for inter-beacon transmission between the first and a second station is selectable based at least on the distributed timing information and timing information indicating the times of existing time slots used by stations whose inter-beacon transmissions can be reliably received by the first station.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a network, some data are transmitted between stations during time slots in contention free periods. Selecting the time slots includes collecting timing information at some stations in the network. The timing information indicates the times of existing time slots used by stations whose transmissions can be reliably received by the station collecting the timing information. The timing information is distributed to other stations in the network. A new time slot for transmission between a first and a second station is selected based at least on timing information indicating the times of existing time slots used by stations whose transmissions can be reliably received by at least one of the first and second station.
169 Citations
55 Claims
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1. In a network in which some data are transmitted between stations during time slots in contention free periods, a method for selecting the time slots, the method comprising:
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collecting timing information at at least one of the stations in the network, the timing information indicating the times of existing time slots used by stations for inter-beacon transmissions that can be reliably received by the at least one station collecting the timing information; and distributing the timing information to other stations in the network including a first station; wherein a new time slot for inter-beacon transmission between the first and a second station is selectable based at least on the distributed timing information and timing information indicating the times of existing time slots used by stations whose inter-beacon transmissions can be reliably received by the first station. - 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, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for communicating among stations in a network, the method comprising:
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providing repeated beacon transmissions from a first station for coordinating inter-beacon transmissions among a plurality of the stations, wherein the repeated beacon transmissions include information regarding allocated time for the first station to transmit or receive inter-beacon transmissions, wherein at least some information received at a second station is capable of retransmission by the second station to a third station, including at least a portion of a received beacon transmission from the first station; and wherein information regarding allocated time for the third station to transmit or receive transmissions is based on available time slots in the retransmitted information by the second station to the third station and is capable of being transmitted by the third station, wherein the third station is configured to reliably receive transmissions from the second station but not the first station; wherein inter-beacon transmissions from stations in the network are hierarchically determined in time based on proximity to the first station. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for communicating among stations in a powerline network, the method comprising:
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from a first station in the powerline network, transmitting information characterizing transmissions received by the first station from other stations; and at the first station in the powerline network, determining allocated time for the station to transmit or receive transmissions based on at least some of the information characterizing transmissions, and transmitting information indicating the allocated time; wherein each of multiple other stations in the powerline network are capable of determining allocated time for the respective station to transmit or receive transmissions based on at least some of the information characterizing transmissions and based on at least some of the information indicating the allocated time from the first station, wherein each station in the powerline network is separated from the first station by a number of hops over which transmissions are repeated, and wherein the first station determines allocated time for a first set of stations to transmit or receive transmissions over multiple hops, and remaining stations are configured to collectively determine allocated times to transmit or receive transmissions over individual hops. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. A system for communicating among multiple stations, comprising:
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a first station configured to provide repeated beacon transmissions for coordinating inter-beacon transmissions among a plurality of the stations, wherein the repeated beacon transmissions include information regarding allocated time for the first station to transmit or receive inter-beacon transmissions; wherein at least some information received at a second station is retransmittable by the second station to a third station, including at least a portion of a received beacon transmission; and wherein information regarding allocated time for the third station to transmit or receive transmissions is based on available time slots in the retransmitted information by the second station to the third station and is capable of being transmitted by the third station, wherein the third station is capable of reliably receiving transmissions from the second station but not from the first station; wherein inter-beacon transmissions from stations in the network are hierarchically determined based on proximity to the first station.
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Specification