Shared medium access scheduling with common time reference

A shared media access time manager (SMATM) System comprising:

• a source of a common time reference;
• a plurality of endstations;
• a shared media network for providing a second time reference divided into time intervals, responsive to the common time reference, which is coupled to at least one end-station of the plurality of end stations;
• at least one synchronous virtual pipe comprised of a plurality of linked switches, each switch having at least one input port for synchronous receiving incoming data packets and at least one output port for synchronously transmitting data packets, coupled to the common time reference, and together defining a path, and at least one synchronous virtual pipe having an associated schedule of pre-allocated time frames that are derived from the common time reference;
• and
• an access time manager responsive to the schedule of pre-allocated time frames for allocating specific ones of the time intervals for transfer of an associated one of the data packets between a respective one of the end-stations and the synchronous virtual pipe over the shared media network.

A communications management system comprising:

• a common time reference, wherein the common time reference is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous time frames;
• a synchronous virtual pipe comprised of a plurality of linked switches, each switch having at least one input port and at least one output port, coupled to the common time reference, and together defining a path;
• a source for transmitting periodic data bursts;
• a destination for receiving periodic data bursts;
• a first shared media network, coupled to the source for transmitting periodic data bursts and to the synchronous virtual pipe;
• and
• a second shared media network, coupled to the synchronous virtual pipe and to the destination for receiving periodic data bursts.

A communications scheduling system comprising:

• a common time reference, wherein the common time reference is partitioned into contiguous time frames;
• a source for transmitting periodic data bursts;
• a destination for receiving periodic data bursts;
• a first shared media network, coupled to the source for transmitting periodic data bursts;
• and
• a second shared media network, coupled to the destination for receiving periodic data bursts;
• a scheduling controller for providing scheduling of the selective coupling of the first and second shared media networks to provide for transferring the respective periodic data bursts from the source to the destination during a respective scheduled time frame position;
• wherein a predefined number of contiguous k time frames are grouped into a time cycle, wherein k is at least 1;
• wherein a predefined number of contiguous l time cycles are grouped into a super cycle, and wherein l is at least 1;
• wherein the periodic data bursts are scheduled for transmission in reoccurring predefined time frame positions within selected ones of the time cycles within each of the super cycles.

A method for scheduling transfer of data packets between one of a point to point network and a shared medium, and alternatively between an end station and the shared medium, the method comprising:

• providing for signaling of a common time reference;
• scheduling a first time frame for the transfer of the data packets from the shared medium to the point to point network, responsive to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) timing signals;
• and
• scheduling a time interval for the transfer of the data packets from the end station to the shared medium, responsive to the scheduling of the first time fame,
• wherein the time interval occurs immediately before the first time frame.