Reservation request improvements

A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

• (a) sending a request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein allocation of the shared communication medium between the request signal space and the scheduled transmission signal space is dynamically altered.

A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

• (a) sending a request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein a two-step request for transmission comprising a first step and a second step is sent from the first node, the request sent from the first node representing the first step of the two-step request, the data transmission sent from the first node representing the second step of the two-step request.

A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

• (a) sending a request from a first node in the plurality of nodes, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) from the first node, sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein the first node sends at least one extra request in another request segment, in order to increase likelihood of assignment for the data transmission.

A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes including a first node and a second node, the method comprising:

• (a) at the second node, receiving a request from the first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) at the second node, making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message;
• (c) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request;
• and
• (d) wherein a collection of request segments in the plurality of request segments is separated by a guard zone from an adjacent collection of scheduled transmission segments in the plurality of scheduled transmission segments.

A method for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes including a first node and a second node, the method comprising:

• (a) at the second node, receiving a request from the first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the request sent in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) at the second node, making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message;
• (c) at the second node, receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request;
• and
• (d) wherein allocation of the shared communication medium between the request signal space and the scheduled transmission signal space is dynamically altered.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a first node capable of sending a request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein a collection of request segments in the plurality of request segments is separated by a guard zone from an adjacent collection of scheduled transmission segments in the plurality of scheduled transmission segments.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a first node capable of sending a request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• (d) wherein allocation of the shared communication medium between the request signal space and the scheduled transmission signal space is dynamically altered.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a first node capable of sending a request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein the first node is capable of sending a two-step request for transmission comprising a first step and a second, the request sent from the first node representing the first step of the two-step request, the data transmission sent from the first node representing the second step of the two-step request.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a first node capable of sending a request over the shared communication medium, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the first node capable of sending the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the first node is capable of obtaining an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space;
• (c) wherein the first node is capable of sending a data transmission in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request in accordance with the assignment;
• and
• (d) wherein the first node is capable of sending at least one extra request in another request segment, in order to increase likelihood of assignment for the data transmission.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a second node capable of receiving a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the second node capable of receiving the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the second node is capable of making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message;
• (c) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request;
• and
• (d) wherein a collection of request segments in the plurality of request segments is separated by a guard zone from an adjacent collection of scheduled transmission segments in the plurality of scheduled transmission segments.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a second node capable of receiving a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the second node capable of receiving the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the second node is capable of making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message;
• (c) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request;
• and
• (d) wherein allocation of the shared communication medium between the request signal space and the scheduled transmission signal space is dynamically altered.

An apparatus for conducting communications over a shared communication medium involving a plurality of nodes, comprising:

• (a) a second node capable of receiving a request from a first node, the shared communication medium organized to include a request signal space and a scheduled transmission signal space, the request signal space including a plurality of request segments each having a different location within the request signal space, the scheduled transmission signal space including a plurality of scheduled transmission segments each having a different location within the scheduled transmission signal space, the second node capable of receiving the request in a request segment that is one of the plurality of request segments;
• (b) wherein the second node is capable of making an assignment associating the request with a scheduled transmission segment selected from the plurality of scheduled transmission segments, the assignment taking into account location of the request within the request signal space, and sending a corresponding assignment message;
• (c) wherein the second node is capable of receiving a data transmission from the first node in the scheduled transmission segment associated with the request;
• and
• (d) wherein the second node is capable of handling a two-step request for transmission comprising a first step and a second step, the request sent from the first node representing the first step of the two-step request, the data transmission sent from the first node representing the second step of the two-step request.