Redundant radio frequency network having a roaming terminal communication protocol

A method utilized by a sending device for beginning a data exchange over an RF communication channel with a polling device wherein the polling device maintains a predetermined time period of fixed duration between consecutive poll frames, comprising the steps of:

• (a) converting data to be exchanged into a series of data segments;
• (b) determining whether traffic on the RF communication channel is below a predetermined level;
• (c) if the traffic is below the predetermined level, branching to step (e);
• (d) identifying a period of time which is at least as long as the predetermined time period during which no communication can be detected on the RF communication channel;
• and
• (e) transmitting a request for poll frame.

A method of conducting a data exchange from each of a plurality of sending devices to a destination device over a wireless communication channel, wherein each of the plurality of sending devices occasionally collect data to be exchanged with the destination device, and at least one of the plurality of sending devices cannot always detect data transmissions originated by the other of the plurality of sending devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying, by one of the plurality of sending devices having data to be exchanged, a period of time that is at least as long as a predetermined time period during which no communication can be detected on the wireless communication channel;
• (b) attempting, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, to initiate communication to a destination terminal;
• and
• (c) if the attempt in step (b) proves successful, transmitting, by the destination device, a series of packets wherein each two consecutive packet transmissions are separated by no more than the predetermined time period;
• and
• (d) transmitting, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, between each two consecutive packet transmissions the data to be exchanged in segments.

A method of beginning and conducting data exchanges from one of a plurality of sending devices over a wireless communication channel to a destination device wherein the one of the plurality of sending devices cannot directly detect transmissions from others of the plurality of sending devices to the destination device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, a period during which the destination device does not transmit for at least a predetermined duration;
• (b) concluding, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, that because of the identification in step (a), the wireless communication is not being used by other of the plurality of sending devices to communicate to the destination device;
• (c) transmitting, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, a portion of data to be exchanged to the destination device wherein the transmission time does not exceed the predetermined duration;
• (d) initiating and concluding transmission, by the destination device, of a packet after receiving the portion of data to be exchanged;
• (e) receiving, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, the packet transmitted by the destination device;
• (f) transmitting, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, another portion of the data be exchanged to the destination device wherein the transmission time does not exceed the predetermined duration;
• (g) initiating and concluding transmission, by the destination device, of another packet, wherein such initiation occurs no later than the predetermined duration since the initiation of transmission of the previously transmitted packet that was received in step (e);
• and
• (h) repeating steps (e) through (g) until all portions of the data to be exchanged have been transmitted to the destination device.

A method of managing data transmissions originating from a plurality of sending devices over a wireless communication channel, wherein each of the plurality of sending devices can detect transmissions from a control device, but at least one of the plurality of sending devices cannot always detect transmissions from the other of the plurality of sending devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) attempting, by one of the plurality of sending devices having data to be exchanged, to identify a period of time that is at least as long as a predetermined time period during which no communication can be detected on a wireless communication channel;
• (b) requesting, by the one of the plurality of sending devices, assistance from a control device;
• and
• (c) transmitting, by the control device, a bracket of frames which can be detected by each of the plurality of sending devices, and the bracket of frames providing the one of the plurality of sending devices an opportunity to transmit the data to be exchanged in a corresponding series of segments within the bracket of frames, wherein each of the transmission of one of the segments has a duration no longer than the predetermined time period.