Network communication system using assigned timeslots for nodes to request a bandwidth amount for data transmission with a resulting grant for a node to transmit

A communication controller in a data network, the data network including a plurality of nodes, the communication controller comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• and
• at least one interface for communicating with the plurality of nodes,
• wherein the memory stores code to cause the processor to provide a first signal for transmission through the interface to at least a first one network node, the first signal including information relating to a specific timeslot in which the first node may transmit a first request signal to the communication controller,
• wherein the interface is configured to receive a first request signal from the first node in response to the first signal, said first request signal including a request for a specified amount of bandwidth to be allocated to the first node for transmitting data from the first node to the communication controller,
• wherein the memory stores code to cause the processor to provide a second signal for transmission through the interface to the first node in response to the first signal, said second signal allocating at least one timeslot to the first node for transmitting the data to the communication controller, and
• wherein the interface is configured to receive the data transmitted from the first node in response to the second signal.

A first network node in a data network, the data network including a communication controller and a plurality of nodes, the first network node comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• and at least one interface for communicating with the communication controller,
• wherein the interface is configured to receive a first signal from the communication controller, the first signal including information relating to a specific timeslot in which the first node may transmit a first request signal to the communication controller,
• wherein the memory stores code to cause the processor to provide a first request signal for transmission through the interface to the communication controller in response to the first signal, said first request signal including a request for a specified amount of bandwidth to be allocated to the network node for transmitting data from the first network node to the communication controller;
• wherein the interface is further configured to receive a second signal from the communication controller, said second signal allocating at least one timeslot to the first network node for transmitting the data to the communication controller;
• and
• wherein the memory stores code to cause the processor to provide for transmission of the data through the interface to the communication controller in response to the second signal.

A method of communicating data comprising:

• receiving a first signal transmitted from a communication controller at a first network node, the first signal including information relating to a first timeslot in which the first node may transmit a first request signal to the communication controller;
• transmitting from the first node a first request signal including a request for a specified amount of bandwidth to be allocated to the first node for transmitting data from the first node to the communication controller;
• receiving a second signal from the communication controller transmitted to the first node in response to the first request signal, said second signal including information specifying at least one timeslot allocated to the first node for transmitting the data to the communication controller;
• and
• transmitting the data from the first node to the communication controller in response to the second signal.