Time slot management system

A time slot management system for a digital time division multiple access system including a main station (MS) coupled to each of a plurality of user stations (U1/16) via the cascade connection of a common transmission link (Lc) and an individual user link (L1/16) with respect to the corresponding user stations (U1, U2, . . . , U16), said management system having means for allowing each of said user stations (U1/16) to transfer upstream information packets to said main station (MS) in time slots, the main station having means for associating a current bandwidth with each user station with respect to that user station sending upstream information packets, characterized by means for generating upstream information packets in said user stations (U1/16) to said main station (MS), including information concerning the desired bandwidths required for further transfer of upstream information packets by these stations at least when said bandwidths required are different from the main station respective current bandwidths, said time slot management system including a registration means (R) to store said user stations (U1/16) information indicative of each user station's desired bandwidth and a conversion and transmission means (C) to repetitively convert said user stations (U1/16) information to corresponding occurrences of identities constituting grant signals for the user stations having these identities in a stream of station identities, and packet processing means (I/O) to transmit said stream of identities in downstream information packets to said user stations (U1/16), each user station (U1/16) having means for detecting its own identity in said stream and for transferring a predetermined amount of upstream information packets upon detecting its own identity.