Patent · US Expired

Inbound acknowledgement stack

US4646082A · kind A · utility

64Cited by
7References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 1984
Grant dateFeb 24, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W74/0808
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a data message communication system, certain messages require a return acknowledgement signal. The present invention contemplates a method and means which are activated whenever an outbound message is received. Each portable unit which receives a message then monitors the outbound communication channel to determine if the inhibit signal is currently active. If the inhibit is not currently active, the particular unit will transmit its acknowledgement message immediately. If the inhibit signal is active, each portable unit will maintain a count of the number of outbound messages, addressed to other units requiring an acknowledgement, since that particular portable received its message. At the termination of the inhibit signal, each portable unit will pause for a period equivalent to the product of the acknowledgement message time slot multiplied by count of messages accumulated since the receipt of the particular portable units message. Each portable unit will then transmit an acknowledgement signal at the termination of its unique pause period.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.