Multiple access communication network with combined contention and reservation mode access

A channel access method for communicating a data packet over a multiple access communication network having a forward channel defining forward channel blocks and a reverse channel which is delineated into the defined forward channel blocks for transmission windows, the method comprising the steps of:

• periodically broadcasting a channel control packet on the forward channel, the channel control packet including a designation of one of a contention mode or a reservation mode, the designation of reservation mode including a number of forward channel blocks on the reverse channel for which access is allocated, the number of forward channel blocks for which access is allocated being no more than a predetermined maximum number of the forward channel blocks;
• receiving one of the broadcast channel control packets;
• reading the received channel control packet to determine if a contention or reservation mode is indicated;
• then determining if the received packets were received without error;
• then generating a dynamic access control parameter for regulating access to the reverse channel based on whether the received packets were received without error;
• determining if the data packet to be communicated exceeds a predetermined size;
• transmitting the data packet on the reverse channel if contention mode is indicated in said reading step and if the data packet size is no larger than the predetermined size in said determining step;
• transmitting a reservation request on the reverse channel if contention mode is indicated in said reading step and if the data packet size exceeds the predetermined size in said determining step;
• and, then,
• receiving a second one of the broadcast channel control packets;
• reading the received second one of the broadcast channel control packets to determine if reservation mode is indicated and the number of forward channel blocks for which access is allocated;
• and,
• transmitting a portion of the data packet which fits in the number of forward channel blocks for which access is allocated on the reverse channel if reservation mode is indicated in said step of reading the received second one of the broadcast channel control packets,
• wherein said step of periodically broadcasting a channel control packet includes the step of periodically broadcasting a channel control packet including the generated dynamic access control parameter.

A forward channel transmission apparatus for use in a multiple access communication network, the apparatus comprising:

• broadcasting means operatively connected to said forward channel for broadcasting channel control packets on a forward channel in respective forward channel transmission windows, a respective channel control packet including an indication of reservation or contention mode for a respective corresponding reverse channel transmission window of a reverse channel and an identifier, the indication of reservation mode identifying a specific device for which the corresponding reverse channel transmission window is reserved;
• receiving means operatively connected to said reverse channel for receiving, during contention mode operations on the reverse channel, a data packet and a reservation request including an identifier associated with the requesting device on said reverse channel and for receiving during reservation mode operations on the reverse channel a data packet on said reverse channel;
• reading means responsive to said receiving means for reading said reservation request to determine if said identifier associated with said requesting device;
• determining means responsive to said reading means for determining if reservation mode access to said reverse channel is available to said requesting device request and the number of forward channels blocks for which access is allocated and for determining if reservation mode or contention mode will be selected for said reverse channel;
• and,
• generating means responsive to said determining means for generating said channel control packet including setting said reservation or contention mode indication and said identifier.

A reverse channel transmission apparatus for use in a multiple access communication network, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving channel control packets on a forward channel in respective forward channel transmission windows, a respective channel control packet including a designation of one of a contention mode or a reservation mode for a respective corresponding reverse channel transmission window of a reverse channel, the designation of a reservation mode identifying a specific device for which the corresponding reverse channel transmission window is reserved;
• reading means operatively connected to said receiving means for reading said received channel control packet to determine if a contention or a reservation mode is indicated and if an identifier associated with said reverse channel transmission apparatus is included in said channel control packet;
• determining means for determining if a data packet to be communicated exceeds a predetermined size;
• means responsive to said reading means and said determining means for transmitting said data packet on said reverse channel if contention mode is indicated and if said data packet is no larger than said predetermined size and for transmitting a portion of said data packet which fits in the number of forward channel blocks for which access is allocated on said reverse channel if reservation mode is indicated and if an identifier associated with said reverse channel transmission apparatus is included in said channel control packet;
• and,
• means responsive to said reading means and said determining means for transmitting a reservation request on said reverse channel if contention mode is indicated and if the size of said data packet exceeds said predetermined size.

A channel access method for communicating a data packet over a multiple access communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

• periodically broadcasting respective channel control packets on a forward channel in respective forward channel transmission windows, a respective channel control packet including a designation of one of a contention mode or a reservation mode for a respective corresponding reverse channel transmission window of a reverse channel, the designation of reservation mode identifying a specific device for which the corresponding reverse channel transmission window is reserved;
• receiving one of the broadcast channel control packets;
• reading the received channel control packet to determine if a contention or reservation mode is indicated;
• determining if the data packet to be communicated exceeds a predetermined size;
• and
• transmitting a reservation request on the reverse channel instead of the data packet if contention mode is indicated in said reading step and if the data packet size exceeds the predetermined size in said determining step;
• and, then,
• receiving a second one of the broadcast channel control packets;
• reading the received second one of the broadcast channel control packets to determine if reservation mode is indicated;
• and,
• transmitting the data packet on the reverse channel if reservation mode is indicated in said step of reading the received second one of the broadcast channel control packets.

A reverse channel transmission apparatus for use in a multiple access communication network, the apparatus comprising:

• receiving means for receiving channel control packets on a forward channel in respective forward channel transmission windows, a respective channel control packet including a designation of one of a contention mode or a reservation mode for a respective corresponding reverse channel transmission window of a reverse channel, the designation of reservation mode identifying a specific device for which the corresponding reverse channel transmission window is reserved;
• reading means operatively connected to said receiving means for reading said received channel control packet to determine if a contention or a reservation mode is indicated and if an identifier associated with said reverse channel transmission apparatus is included in said channel control packet;
• determining means for determining if a data packet to be communicated exceeds a predetermined size;
• means responsive to said reading means and said determining means for transmitting said data packet on said reverse channel if contention mode is indicated and if said data packet is no larger than said predetermined size and for transmitting said data packet on said reverse channel if reservation mode is indicated and if an identifier associated with said reverse channel transmission apparatus is included in said channel control packet;
• and,
• means responsive to said reading means and said determining means for transmitting a reservation request instead of the data packet on said reverse channel if contention mode is indicated and if the size of said data packet exceeds said predetermined size.