Method for distributing sets of collision resolution parameters in a frame-based communications network

A method for distributing sets of collision resolution parameters to be used for resolution of network access contention events among nodes of a non-centralized media access control shared medium network, comprising:

• providing a set of collision resolution parameters which includes a sequence of fixed numbers for resolving a single network access contention event;
• identifying a single collision signal slot master node when one or more candidate collision signal slot master nodes exist;
• sending collision signal slot request messages from client nodes addressed to all network nodes, wherein a collision signal slot request message includes:
• a unique client identifier to indicate source of request;
• an indication that a collision resolution parameter set is required by a uniquely identified requesting client node;
• and
• an indication of number of active packet-generating channels at the uniquely identified requesting client node;
• sending collision signal slot assignment messages from the master node to the client nodes, wherein a collision signal slot assignment message includes:
• a list of unique client identifiers to indicate those client nodes which can find collision resolution parameter set information within the collision signal slot assignment message;
• a list of collision resolution parameter set information unambiguously associated on a one-for-one matching basis with the list of unique client identifiers;
• obtaining at a given client node from within a received collision signal slot assignment message a collision resolution parameter set to be employed by that given client node;
• sending collision signal slot acknowledgment messages from client nodes addressed to all network nodes, wherein a collision signal slot acknowledgment message includes:
• a unique client identifier to indicate source of the collision signal slot acknowledgment message;
• and
• collision resolution parameter set information currently assigned to the uniquely identified client node;
• and
• sending collision signal slot drop messages from client nodes addressed to all network nodes, wherein a collision signal slot drop message includes:
• a unique client identifier to indicate source of the collision signal slot drop message;
• and
• an indication that a collision resolution parameter set is no longer required by the uniquely identified client node.