Network channel access protocol - slot allocation
AssigneeSkyPilot Network, Inc.
InventorsThomas Hammel, Kirk Alton Bradley, Mark J. Rich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Network channel access protocol is disclosed. More particularly, a distributed, locally determined, channel access protocol that adapts to load, avoids interference and controls access by a group of nodes to a set of shared channels is disclosed. Shared channel space is divided into a number of communication slots that are repeated at a predetermined interval. Permission to use a slot to communicate between any two nodes is dynamically adjusted by the channel access protocol, which locally: (i) estimates load to neighboring nodes; (ii) allocates or deallocates slot usage to adapt to load and avoid interference; and (iii) asserts and advertises slot usage within an interference area about itself.
Claims13
A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:
- providing a node;
- determining at least a portion of a present transmission load for the node;
- comparing the portion of the present transmission load to an estimated transmission load to provide a first result;
- estimating a future transmission load using the first result;
- computing a number of communication slots using the future transmission load estimate;
- comparing the number of communication slots computed to a present allocation of communication slots to provide a second result;
- and
- determining whether to adjust the present allocation of communication slots using the second result.
A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:
- determining at least some portion of an input transmission load;
- comparing the input transmission load portion to an output transmission load portion to provide a first result;
- setting a next transmission load using the first result;
- computing a number of communication slots for the next transmission load;
- comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the node to provide a second result;
- and
- determining whether to adjust the allocation of communication slots using the second result.
A method for adaptively determining a communication slot allocation in a wireless network, comprising:
- providing a first node;
- determining a first transmission load for communication from the first node to a second node;
- comparing the first transmission load to a second transmission load to provide a first result;
- using the first result to set a third transmission load;
- computing a number of communication slots for the third transmission load;
- comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the first node to provide a second result;
- and
- adjusting the allocation of communication slots using the second result.
A signal-bearing medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to receiving initialization, causes execution of a method comprising:
- determining an input transmission load;
- comparing the input transmission load to an output transmission load to provide a first result;
- setting a next transmission load using the first result;
- computing a number of communication slots for the next transmission load;
- comparing the number of communication slots computed to an allocation of communication slots of the node to provide a second result;
- and
- determining whether to adjust the allocation of communication slots using the second result.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.