Channel access scheme for use in network communications

A Time Division Multiple Access protocol frame for use in supporting the transmission of voice, data, and/or video information by multiple communication sources to a network router over a communication channel, the frame comprising:

• a plurality of slots;
• a first slot selected from the plurality of slots that is assigned to a first one of the multiple communication sources for use by the first one of the multiple communication sources in transmitting video information to the network router as an on-going video connection;
• a second slot selected from the plurality of slots for use by the network router in accepting a request message from one of the multiple communication sources that at least one of any available slots of the plurality of slots be assigned to the second one of the multiple communication sources as a new connection for use in transmitting voice, data, or video information;
• and
• a third slot selected from the plurality of slots for use by the network router for accepting both the request message from the second one of the multiple communication sources and a request messages from the first one of the multiple communication sources that at least one of any available slot from the plurality of slots be assigned to the first one of the communication sources for use in transmitting additional video information relating to the on-going video connection.

A computer-readable medium for use in allocating between multiple communication sources a communication channel in a communication network, the computer-readable medium having instructions for performing the steps of:

• dividing the communication channel into a plurality of frames;
• dividing each of the frames into a plurality of slots;
• dividing a first one of the plurality of slots into a plurality of first mini-slots for use by the multiple communication sources to request the establishment of a new voice, data, or video transmission connection over the communication channel;
• dividing a second one of the plurality of slots into a plurality of second mini-slots for use by the multiple communication sources to request the establishment of a new voice, data, or video transmission connection over the communication channel and for use by the multiple communication sources to augment an existing video connection over the communication channel;
• and
• dividing the plurality of second mini-slots into a first plurality of second mini-slots that are limited to use by the multiple communication sources that are attempting to augment an existing video connection over the communication channel and a second plurality of second mini-slots that are available to any of the multiple communication sources that are requesting the establishment of a new voice, data, or video transmission connection over the communication channel.