Data link layer extensions to a high latency wireless MAC protocol

A method for multicast communication between a group preselected from a plurality of stations along a communication medium in a communication network using media access protocol, in which access to said medium is granted to stations obtaining a successful reservation of the communication medium and in which data transmission verification is performed by said protocol within said reservation, comprising:

• a method in which a first station:
• sends a request message on said communication medium for a reservation of said medium from said first station to a recipient station in said network;
• receives from said recipient station a reservation confirmation message;
• responds to said reservation confirmation message by sending an ordered sequence of data frames to said recipient station;
• after sending said ordered sequence of data frames, sends an end of transmission message to said recipient station;
• and
• receives an end of transmission confirmation from said recipient station identifying the number of frames received in their original sequence,
• wherein communication link control means initiates said communication method, wherein said communication link control means is adapted to respond to receipt of said end of transmission confirmation if said number of frames received in their original sequence is less than the number of frames originally sent;
• wherein said group comprises a preselected group of said plurality of stations and wherein:
• said first station
• sends a request message for a reservation of said medium addressed to a target station;
• receives a clear to send message from said target station;
• responds to said clear to send message by sending a number of sequenced ordered frames of data to said preselected group of recipient stations;
• individually polls selected stations in said preselected group of stations requesting acknowledgment of the number of sequenced data frames received by said selected stations by sending individual poll frames addressed respectively to each of said selected stations in said preselected group of recipient stations;
• receives sequence acknowledgment frames from said selected stations that were polled;
• repeats said previous two steps until all selected stations of said preselected group of stations have been polled;
• sends an end of burst message to said target station for termination of the reservation of said media;
• and
• receives an end of burst confirmation from said target station identifying as a frame number a number that is next in sequence to the number of the last frame received by said recipient for those frames that were received in their original sequential order.

Apparatus for communication between a plurality of stations along a communication medium in a communication network using media access protocol, in which access to said communication medium is granted to stations obtaining a successful reservation of the communication medium and in which data transmission verification is performed by said protocol within said reservation, comprising:

• requesting means at a first station for sending a request message on said communication medium for a reservation of said medium from said first station to a recipient station in said network;
• receiving means at said first station for receiving from said recipient station a reservation confirmation message;
• data sending means responsive to said reservation confirmation message for sending an ordered sequence of data frames carrying ordering information to said recipient station;
• reservation termination means for sending an end of transmission message to said recipient station after said sending of said data frames;
• and, for responding to an end of transmission confirmation from said recipient station identifying the number of frames received in their original sequence for the termination of said reservation;
• end of transmission confirmation means for generating an end of transmission confirmation message identifying the number of frames received in their original sequence by identifying a next frame expected in said sequence;
• and
• means adapted to cause the transmission of the remainder of said ordered sequence of data frames when an incomplete sequence of frames is received.

Apparatus for communication between a plurality of stations along a communication medium in a communication network using media access protocol, in which access to said communication medium is granted to stations obtaining a successful reservation of the communication medium and in which data transmission verification is performed by said protocol within said reservation, comprising:

• requesting means at a first station for sending a request message on said communication medium for a reservation of said medium from said first station to a recipient station in said network;
• receiving means at said first station for receiving from said recipient station a reservation confirmation message;
• data sending means responsive to said reservation confirmation message for sending an ordered sequence of data frames carrying ordering information to said recipient station;
• reservation termination means for sending an end of transmission message to said recipient station after said sending of said data frames;
• and, for responding to an end of transmission confirmation from said recipient station identifying the number of frames received in their original sequence for the termination of said reservation;
• end of transmission confirmation means for generating an end of transmission confirmation message identifying the number of frames received in their original sequence by identifying a next frame expected in said sequence;
• and
• further adapted for multicast communication between a preselected group of said plurality of stations in said communications network comprising:
• requesting means at a first station for sending a request message for a reservation of said medium addressed to a target station;
• response means for receiving a clear to send message from said target station, and for responding to said clear to send message by sending a number of sequenced ordered frames of data to said preselected group of recipient stations;
• polling means for individually polling selected stations in said preselected group of stations requesting acknowledgment of the number of sequenced data frames received by said selected stations by sending polling frames addressed to said selected stations in said preselected group of recipient stations;
• sequence acknowledgment receiving means for receiving sequence acknowledgment messages from said selected stations;
• end of reservation burst messaging means for sending an end of burst message to said target station for termination of the reservation of said media;
• and
• end of burst receiving means for receiving an end of burst confirmation from said target station identifying as a frame number a number that is next in sequence to the number of the last frame received by said recipient for those frames that were received in their original sequential order.