Network channel access protocol - frame execution
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.
Claims23
A method for frame execution, comprising:
- waiting for a frame synchronization;
- accessing a slot of a slot allocation for a node;
- determining a mode associated with the slot allocation;
- if the mode is transmit,
- transmitting using the slot allocation;
- checking for another slot;
- if the mode is none,
- checking for another slot;
- if the mode is receive,
- turning on a receiver;
- checking for signal;
- if there is no signal,
- storing first error information;
- determining if failure rate exceeds a first threshold value for use of the slot;
- if there is signal, determining if information received was received within an acceptable error rate;
- if there is signal and if the information was received within the acceptable error rate, processing incoming data;
- and checking for another slot.
For a transmission from a transmitting node to a receiving node having a receiver, a signal-bearing medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor in response to a call to locate interference, causes execution of a method comprising:
- waiting for a frame synchronization;
- accessing a slot allocation associated with a node;
- determining a mode associated with the slot allocation;
- if the mode is transmit,
- transmitting using the slot allocation;
- checking for another slot;
- if the mode is none,
- checking for another slot;
- if the mode is receive,
- turning on a receiver;
- checking for signal;
- if there is no signal, determining if failure rate exceeds a threshold value for use of a slot of the slot allocation;
- and
- if there is signal, determining if information received was received within an acceptable error rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.