Media access controller

A media access controller (MAC) of a packet transmission system (station), comprising:

• a carrier analyzer, which generates a timeslot using a carrier sense signal input from a modem of the station and outputs a type and a timeslot of a received frame;
• a collision resolution handler, which grants medium access by monitoring for collisions between stations and between itself and another station using a collision resolution algorithm;
• a random number generator, which generates a random number (RndNum) based on a source MAC address value when a collision between itself and another station occurs;
• a transmission on generator, which receives a transmission ready (TxReady) signal and a timeslot to be transmitted from a frame controller of the system and generates a data transmission on (TxDataOn) signal and a transmission frame type (TxSigType) signal, wherein if the transmission ready (TxReady) signal is received from the frame controller, the transmission on generator outputs the transmission frame type (TxSigType) signal and the data transmission on (TxDataOn) signal at a transmission data priority slot or an arbitrary slot, and if a collision occurrence signal (Col) is received from the frame controller, the transmission on generator outputs the transmission frame type (TxSigType) signal and the data transmission on (TxDataOn) signal at a back-off signal slot having the random number (RndNum);
• and
• a parameter setting unit, which adjusts operation parameters of the MAC to be suitable for a setting environment of the station so that the MAC is configurable to operate to be compatible with a plurality of network standards, said parameter setting unit forming an integral part of said MAC, and said operation parameters timeslot and frame information.