Method and apparatus for token distribution

A system for arbitrating access to a shared channel in a token-based communication network, comprising:

• a shared channel medium;
• and
• a number, N, of nodes, each of the N nodes capable of communicating with another one of the N nodes along the shared channel medium upon receiving a token, wherein each of a number, L, of the N nodes is associated with a token machine, L≦N, and wherein each token machine comprises:
• a number, M, of counters, wherein:
• each of the M counters being associated with a corresponding one of a number, M, of the N nodes, and M≦L;
• and
• each of the M counters is assigned a priority level such that at least two of the M nodes have a different priority level;
• and
• each of the M counters is associated with a respective initial count value;
• and
• a processor for monitoring and controlling the M counters, wherein the processor is configured to select one of the N nodes to which the token is explicitly or implicitly transferred from a token-possessing another one of the N nodes.

A method of selecting one of a number, N, of communication devices for receipt of a token in a communication system that transmits during individual ones of a number of sequentially occurring transmission events, the method comprising:

• assigning a corresponding priority level to each of the N communication devices, wherein at least two of the N communication devices are assigned different corresponding priority levels;
• assigning a corresponding count parameter to each of the communication devices, including an own count parameter;
• assigning a corresponding initial count value to each of the communication devices, including an own initial count value;
• for each of the communication devices, initializing the corresponding count parameter to the corresponding initial count value;
• for each successive transmission event, performing:
• adjusting each of the count parameters;
• determining whether a token has been received;
• performing a first operation in response to determining that the token has been received;
• and
• performing a second operation in response to determining that the token has not been received,
• wherein the first operation comprises:
• readjusting the own count parameter;
• selecting one of the N devices based, at least in part, on the count parameters;
• and
• sending the token to the selected one of the N devices;
• and
• wherein the second operation comprises:
• determining which of the N devices now has the token;
• readjusting the count parameter of the device that now has the token.