Robust channel allocation method for RF communication systems
First Claim
1. A method of allocating channels in a PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes, the master having a master clock and each of said plurality of nodes having a node clock, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. transmission by the master to the nodes of a plurality of synch beacons, the sync beacons having a first frequency and a substantially fixed time period between successive sync beacon transmissions;
b. synchronizing node clocks with transmitted synch beacons;
c. dividing the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time;
d. allocating a plurality of slots in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons; and
e. identifying the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of certain nodes that have not resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons, said identifying being based on previous synchronization of respective clocks of said certain nodes with transmitted synch beacons.
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Abstract
A method of allocating channels in a PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes comprising the steps of: transmission by the master to the nodes of a synch beacon, the sync beacon having a first frequency and a substantially fixed time period between successive sync beacon transmissions; dividing the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time; allocating a plurality of slots in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved the sync beacon; and identifying the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of the nodes that have not resolved the sync beacon.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of allocating channels in a PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes, the master having a master clock and each of said plurality of nodes having a node clock, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. transmission by the master to the nodes of a plurality of synch beacons, the sync beacons having a first frequency and a substantially fixed time period between successive sync beacon transmissions; b. synchronizing node clocks with transmitted synch beacons; c. dividing the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time; d. allocating a plurality of slots in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons; and e. identifying the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of certain nodes that have not resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons, said identifying being based on previous synchronization of respective clocks of said certain nodes with transmitted synch beacons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. PTMP (point-to-multi-point) system having a master and a plurality of nodes, the system having an allocation of channels, the system comprising:
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a. a master clock and a node clock of each of said plurality of nodes; b. a plurality of synch beacons transmittable by the master to the nodes in accordance with said master clock, the sync beacon having a first frequency and a time period between successive sync beacon transmissions, said node clocks synchronizing with transmitted synch beacons; c. a division of the time period into a slotted time and an unslotted time; d. a plurality of slots allocatable in the slotted time for RF activity of the nodes that have resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons; and e. the unslotted time for unallocated RF activity of certain nodes that have not resolved a sync beacon of a few last synch beacons of said plurality of synch beacons, the unslotted time being determined in accordance with previous synchronization of respective clocks of said certain nodes with transmitted synch beacons. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification