Method for transmitting frames with both data and a polling request

A method of operating a device to receive a data frame with both data and upstream request channel communications, the method comprising:

• A) Connecting the device to a shared medium having a downstream channel and an upstream channel;
• B) Monitoring the downstream channel to detect the sync indicator marking the beginning of a new downstream frame;
• C) Receiving data targeted to the device from within the data frame payload if a data address corresponding to the device is found in the header for the data;
• D) Reading the polling address contained in the same data frame in a band of polling address data a fixed number of bytes after the sync indicator;
• and
• E) Responding on the upstream channel if the polling address found in the band of polling address data matches a polling address associated with the device.

A method of sending at least one data sub-packet (comprising a data sub-packet header containing an address field, and a data sub-packet payload,) in a single data frame;

• the method comprising:
• Creating a data frame comprising a sync indicator, packet identification field comprising at least one bit, and a frame payload;
• IF the frame payload is of the first type,
• THEN placing one data sub-packet in the frame payload;
• and
• Placing an indicator of a single sub-packet payload in the packet identification field such that a first downstream device and a second downstream device will be able to read the indicator of a single sub-packet and look for a single data sub-packet header;
• IF the frame payload is of a second type,
• THEN placing a first sub-packet addressed to the first downstream device in the frame payload;
• Placing a second sub-packet addressed to the second downstream device, different from the first downstream device, in the frame payload a fixed distance from the start of the frame payload;
• and
• Placing an indicator for a two sub-packet payload in the packet identification field such that the both the first and the second downstream devices read the indicator of the two sub-packet payload and read the both sub-packet headers;
• and
• Transmitting the data frame onto a communication channel connected to the first downstream device and the second downstream device.

A method of sending at least one data sub-packet (comprising a data sub-packet header containing an address field, and a data sub-packet payload,) in a single data frame;

• the method comprising:
• Creating a data frame comprising a sync indicator, packet identification field comprising at least one bit, and a frame payload;
• IF the frame payload is of the first type,
• THEN placing one data sub-packet in the frame payload;
• and
• Placing an indicator of a single sub-packet payload in the packet identification field such that a first downstream device and a second downstream device, different from the first downstream device, will be able to read the indicator of a single sub-packet and look for a single data sub-packet header;
• IF the frame payload is of a second type,
• THEN placing a first sub-packet addressed to the first downstream device in the frame payload;
• Placing a second sub-packet addressed to the first downstream device in the frame payload a fixed distance from the start of the frame payload;
• and
• Placing an indicator for a two sub-packet payload in the packet identification field such that the both the first and the second downstream devices read the indicator of the two sub-packet payload and read the both sub-packet headers;
• and
• Transmitting the data frame onto a communication channel connected to the first downstream device and the second downstream device.